In Angola it is a crime to speak ill of the President. The man, who for the past 37 years has led the ruling MPLA party (the Peoples' Movement for the Liberation of Angola) is accustomed to hearing only praise from within his party's ranks. Yet on the eve of what was expected to be a slickly-organized party congress, aiming to re-establish José Eduardo dos Santos as the party's sole candidate for President in next year's elections, there has been an unprecedented public condemnation from a senior party cadre. "The popular appeal of the MPLA - the party of the President and head of state [José Eduardo dos Santos] - is at an all-time low thanks to his 'shenanigans'. He gives the party a bad name - and when he falls, he will drag the innocent members of the MPLA down with him." This stunning denunciation from Ambassador Ambrósio Lukoki, a 40-year veteran of the MPLA Central Committee, was delivered at a news conference in Luanda, as he revealed that he had asked for his name to be taken off the list of candidates for election to the Central Committee. This is the first time a member of the central committee has dared to criticise the president since 1977 (the tragic events of the 27th of May, in which explicit party dissent led to the killings of several leading members of the party along with senior government and military figures. Explaining why he would turn his back on more than 40 years of loyal service, he said that as a nationalist, he could no longer tolerate the lack of democracy at the heart of his party. "It is wrong and harmful yet it continues to be the hallmark of the current trajectory of the MPLA party," the Ambassador said. "How much longer can this regime go on stamping out the waves of protest? When will the regime understand the signs of the times and pay attention to the criticisms that are leveled at it?" Ambassador Lukoki wants his party to react before it is too late, saying it is imperative to turn around the current situation inside the party machine which continues to present itself as though this were a one-party state in which the state and the party are indistinguishable, even though both are "sinking". Ambrósio Lukoki has long had the reputation of a man unafraid to criticize the President directly at MPLA meetings. Now he has stated this criticism in public, also denouncing his own colleagues as nothing more than "yes men". "What the country needs is ethical authority, not straw men," he emphasized. To the public's astonishment, Ambassador Lukoki spoke out about what he called "a spirit of silent insurrection and revolt" which is spreading across the country. He said the levels of public support for the MPLA, as seen at its large public events and in its propaganda, "are false" and "melting away". From his perspective, the lack of popularity affecting the party today is "the price being paid by the MPLA because of its servility towards José Eduardo dos Santos, allowing itself to be used by him as a launch pad for his absolutist style of government." And he had a clear message for the MPLA cohort: it should not be up to Dos Santos to step down from power and from the party leadership when he wishes, but the MPLA which should be showing him the door. "For as long as the MPLA fails to dissociate itself from José Eduardo dos Santos it will be unable to regain its soul as a progressive party." He ended by calling on his comrades to show "strength, courage and wisdom" and to fight together again, but this time with ideas, for liberty and justice in Angola. Ambassador Lukoki's message to his comrades-in-arms, fellow party members, and the nation at large, may be the single most significant moment of this gathering of Angola's ruling party. Coming as it does at a difficult time for Angola, it may yet prove a turning point.

O B-LOC O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG I-ORG I-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER I-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O O O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER I-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER I-PER O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O B-LOC O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O B-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O O O O B-PER I-PER I-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O O O O B-PER I-PER I-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-LOC B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-LOC O O O O O O O O O O O B-LOC O O O O O O O


Indian Trinamool Congress (TMC) part supporters celebrate an early lead as vote counting continues following the West Bengal state assembly elections in Kolkata. Vote-counting is taking place following state assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Pondicherry. The makeup of India's next government could lie in the hands of a trio of women who command a massive following in their regional heartlands, including a populist former movie star known as 'Mother' to supporters.

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Indonesia first to green light Novavax COVID-19 vaccine Biotechnology company Novavax said Monday that Indonesia has given the world's first emergency use authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine, which uses a different technology than current shots. The vaccine is easier to store and transport than some other shots, which could allow it to play an important role in boosting supplies in poorer countries around the world. The two-dose Novavax vaccine is made with lab-grown copies of the spike protein that coats the coronavirus. That's very different from widely used mRNA vaccines such as Pfizer and Moderna that deliver genetic instructions for the body to make its own spike protein. The emergency authorization of the vaccine is a "very important step" for Indonesia's COVID-19 vaccination program, Indonesian epidemiologist Dicky Budiman said. "This vaccine will be much easier to transport, store and distribute in a place like Indonesia, where we have many islands," he said. Budiman said if the rollout of the vaccine is successful, it could lead to its approval and use in other developing nations. The need for more vaccines remains critical in many countries, including Indonesia. In June, U.S.-based Novavax announced the vaccine had proven about 90% effective against symptomatic COVID-19 in a study of nearly 30,000 people in the U.S. and Mexico. It also worked against variants circulating in those countries at the time, it said. The company said side effects were mild and included tenderness at the injection site, headache, aches and pains and fatigue. In October, it addressed concerns that production of the vaccine had been slowed due to a lack of raw materials and other issues, saying it planned to "achieve a capacity of 150 million doses per month by the end of the fourth quarter" through partnerships with Serum Institute of India, SK Bioscience in South Korea and Takeda in Japan, among others. Novavax said it has already filed for authorization of the vaccine in the United Kingdom, European Union, Canada, Australia, India and the Philippines. Indonesia was battered by a deadly wave of COVID-19 fueled by the delta variant and post-holiday travel from June through August. New cases have now dropped, averaging less than 1,000 a day since mid October. About 36% of people in Indonesian have received two doses of a vaccine, and about 58% have received one dose, according to the Ministry of Health. Over 143,400 people have died from the virus in Indonesia. The number is thought to be an undercount due to low testing and tracing. ------ Associated Press writer Niniek Karmini contributed to this report. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. 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World Ukraine updates: UN chief to meet with Putin in Moscow What's happening in Ukraine on Friday: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres plans to meet Tuesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin to press for fighting to stop in Ukraine. Britain, India call for immediate ceasefire in Ukraine India and Britain on Friday called on Russia to begin an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced an expansion of economic and defence ties that could help India reduce its dependence on Moscow. Russians shift elite units to the new battleground: Ukraine Russia shifted a dozen crack units from the shattered port of Mariupol to eastern Ukraine and pounded away at cities across the region, Ukrainian authorities said Friday, as the two sides hurtled toward what could be an epic battle for control of the country's industrial heartland. 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O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER O B-ORG I-ORG O O O B-LOC I-LOC O B-PER I-PER I-PER I-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O B-MISC O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER O O O B-LOC O O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-LOC O O B-ORG O B-PER O O B-LOC O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O B-LOC I-LOC O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O B-ORG O O O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-LOC I-LOC O O O O O O O O O O O B-LOC I-LOC O O O O B-PER I-PER I-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER B-MISC O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O B-PER I-PER O O O B-MISC I-MISC B-ORG I-ORG O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O B-MISC O O O O O B-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O B-PER O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER O O O O O B-ORG O O O O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-LOC I-LOC I-LOC I-LOC O B-ORG O O O O O O O B-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER O O B-LOC O O O B-LOC O O O O B-PER O B-PER O O O O O B-LOC B-ORG I-ORG O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O


Industry Super Australia expressed surprise at the Federal Government’s reaction to its advertising campaign against banks moving into the superannuation space, saying the Government’s rush to defend bank lobbying efforts illustrated a lack of balance. Reacting to a statement put out by Minister for Revenue and Financial Services, Kelly O’Dwyer on the advertising campaign, which she labelled a union scare campaign, ISA said the advertising campaign blew the whistle on banks’ attempts to tilt super rules in their favour. ISA chief executive, David Whiteley said industry super funds were jointly governed by representative trustees “drawn equally from employer groups and unions”, and this partnership was the reason for the funds delivering superior returns. “It is disappointing the Government overlooks these facts as it attempts to slur some as the country’s highest performing funds that collectively manage half a trillion in assets for more than 5 million members”. “The Government should focus its scrutiny on the chronic and unexplained underperformance of bank-owned super funds over the past twenty years rather than providing an open door for their lobbying efforts,” he said. ISA used SuperRatings data to state industry funds had outperformed bank-owned funds by 2.02 per cent over three years, 2.16 per cent over five years, and 2.05 per cent over seven years. Whiteley also said banks had looked to change laws to suit their vertically integrated business models since 2014: - In 2014, banks looked to dilute financial advice consumer protections and the Government presented legislation to this effect; - In 2015, banks looked to change the governance model of industry super funds, and the Government presented legislation on this; and - In 2016, the Government asked the Productivity Commission to consider alternatives to the Fair Work Commission process to appoint default funds. ISA said the banks opposed the role of the Fair Work Commission in appointing a safety net of workplace default funds.

B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER I-PER I-PER I-PER I-PER I-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O B-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O O O O O B-ORG O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O O O


Industry pushing for reassessment of potential production in the Bakken BISMARCK — USGS Acting Director Bill Werkheiser said reassessment of the Bakken had not been on the agency's schedule and financial resources are slim, but the agency is willing to take it into consideration. "There's a ton of new information out there even than what we had in 2013," he said. Particularly, a lot of new drilling has taken place using improved technologies. This would provide more production data and make the USGS projections more accurate. Monte Besler, a Williston oilfield consultant known as the FRACN8R, said some of these new drilling practices and technologies include closer spacing between fractures when fracking a well. In 2008, he said the spacing was about 600 feet. By 2013, it was about 250 feet and now it is from 20 to 50 feet. He said there is also divider technology that makes sure all planned fractures are taking place. "Every three to five years, the technology turns over," he said. And while the inclusion of the Three Forks boosted recoverable resource numbers last time, Hoeven said he is confident the numbers will go up again, even though no new areas of the formation are likely to be added to the calculations. Walter Guidroz, program coordinator for the USGS Energy Resources Program, said USGS assessments only take into account "undiscovered technically recoverable resources," which means previously produced oil and unrecoverable oil isn't included in calculations. From 2008 when the first USGS survey took place to 2013 when it was reassessed, there was some increase in the Middle Bakken formation numbers, which meant more oil had become recoverable. Industry is hopeful a reassessment now would show similar results. Besler said technologies have accelerated production, allowing companies to get to the resource faster. But he is confident some of those technologies also have contributed to better recovery, which will boost USGS numbers. Guidroz said the group has a budget of $26 million annually to conduct, on average, from 10 to 15 assessments across a number of energy resources, including coal, wind, uranium and carbon storage. It was 2011 when conversations about the 2013 assessment first started. Industry said it is hopeful that, should another reassessment be approved, it would take place before next May's Williston Basin Petroleum Conference. Werkheiser estimated that an assessment could be done by the first quarter of 2018, but that would require a slowdown in all of the office's other assessments and a reassignment of personnel to the Bakken, making the May timeline difficult.

O O O O O O O O O O B-LOC I-LOC B-ORG I-ORG O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O O B-PER I-PER O B-ORG O O O O O B-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER O O O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O B-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O B-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG I-ORG B-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O


O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O O B-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O O O B-PER O O O O O B-PER I-PER I-PER I-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O B-LOC I-LOC O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O B-PER I-PER B-PER I-PER O O O O O B-PER I-PER I-PER I-PER O O B-PER I-PER B-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O B-PER I-PER B-LOC O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG B-PER I-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER O O O O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER I-PER I-PER I-PER O O O B-ORG O B-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER O B-PER O B-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER I-PER O O O O O B-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER O O B-PER I-PER O B-PER I-PER B-PER I-PER O B-PER I-PER O O O B-PER O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O B-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER O O O O B-PER B-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O B-LOC O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O O B-PER I-PER O B-PER I-PER O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O B-LOC O O O O B-PER O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O B-PER I-PER I-PER I-PER O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O B-ORG O O O O O O B-PER I-PER B-PER I-PER O O B-ORG O O B-PER I-PER O O O B-PER O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O O B-ORG B-ORG O O O O B-ORG O B-PER O O O O O B-PER I-PER O O B-LOC O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O O O B-LOC O O B-PER I-PER O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O B-PER O O O B-LOC O B-PER I-PER O B-LOC O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O B-PER I-PER I-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O B-PER O O O O O O O O O B-PER O O O B-PER I-PER I-PER O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O B-PER I-PER O O O B-PER O O O O O O B-PER O O O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O O B-LOC O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O O O B-LOC O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O B-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O B-PER I-PER O O O O O B-LOC O O B-ORG B-PER I-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-LOC O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-LOC O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O B-ORG O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O B-LOC I-LOC I-LOC O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O B-ORG I-ORG O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-LOC I-LOC B-ORG O O B-ORG B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O B-LOC O B-ORG B-LOC I-LOC O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O B-LOC O B-ORG O O O B-LOC O O O O O O B-LOC O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O O O O O O O O O B-LOC O B-ORG O O O O B-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O O O O O O O B-PER O O O O B-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER I-PER I-PER I-PER I-PER I-PER B-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER O O O B-LOC O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-LOC I-LOC O B-LOC O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O O O B-ORG O B-PER O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG I-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O O O B-LOC I-LOC I-LOC B-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-LOC O B-LOC O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER I-PER O O B-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O B-PER O O O O O O O B-ORG O O B-ORG I-ORG O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG B-LOC O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-LOC O B-LOC O O O O O O O O B-LOC O O O B-LOC O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-LOC O O O O O O O O O B-LOC O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-LOC O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER O O O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER O B-PER O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG I-ORG I-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O O O B-ORG I-ORG I-ORG O O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B-PER I-PER O O O O O O O O O O O B-ORG O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

In face of opposition, lame duck Maui Council punts on property tax hike
BoE refuses to follow law: Rejects meal price increases
14 candidates seek District 1 Council seat vacated by Apo
The field seeking to succeed former City Councilman Todd Apo is set, with 14 candidates running for the District 1 seat representing Leeward Coast-Ewa.
Five more candidates filed by yesterday's 4:30 p.m. deadline.
LIST: http://www.honoluluelections.org/files/content/council_district_i_special_election_candidate_filing_111910-1.pdf
RELATED: Honolulu Council Special Election: Mel Kahele, Waimanalo Gulch, and other baggage, Special Election: Former Rep. Bob McDermott to seek Todd Apo’s Honolulu Council seat
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TAT, Water top Arakawa Agenda
WAILUKU - Probably to no one's surprise, the top priority of Hawaii State Association of Counties lobbyists - and Maui County Council members - is to eliminate their annual fight to retain the counties' share of transient accommodations taxes.
Also, Maui Mayor-elect Alan Arakawa said he will finish by the end of the month his list of water-centric funding priorities for the upcoming session, which starts the third week of January. Like his soon-to-be predecessor, Arakawa plans to reduce significantly the county's reliance on environmentally controversial injection wells.
"I'm still formulating a list of legislative requests," Arakawa said Friday. "It is one of my top priorities. I expect to have more by the end of the month."
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Carlisle hit over illegal seizure from pawn shop/fence
“The search warrant was limited to 16 specific items,” Brown said. “The city seized thousands of items. That was unconstitutional.”
Federal Magistrate Judge Barry Kurren agreed, writing "...the City violated Burke's constitutional rights by seizing items that were not in the search warrant."
The ruling said police made the illegal seizure based on a policy designed by a supervising prosecutor who said her boss, Carlisle, approved.
Brown said Carlisle's high-level approval made the case a violation of the federal Civil Rights Act. Even though the court only awarded Burke about $40,000 in damages, the city must also now pay his legal fees.
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Speaker: Say still 2 votes short, Rep Roy Takumi mentioned as possible compromise candidate
House Democrats remain stalemated over who will be their speaker — 24 for incumbent Calvin Say, 16 for Sylvia Luke, and Roy Takumi, Jessica Wooley and Cindy Evans on the fence.
Takumi, whose name is being bandied about as a compromise candidate, told Civil Beat today that he is open to new leadership if no candidate can get the necessary 26 votes among 43 House Democrats.
Say has been speaker since 1999 and has survived coup attempts before from progressive types in the House, and he's being advised to hunker down and wait for two more votes to come his way.
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Okino compared to neutered donkey
Shapiro: Big Island groups are rounding up wild donkeys near Waikoloa for neutering and relocation. They're following the same process the Democratic Party used to get rid of Gary Okino.
RELATED: Gary Okino forced to resign from Democratic Party, Even After Resignation, gay-dominated Oahu Democrats vote to oust Okino over Gay Civil Unions
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Advertiser, Eric Ryan team up to cheer attack on GOP Chair Michael Steele
SA: Gentry Collins, who quit this week as political director of the Republican National Committee, sent out a memo critical of the RNC’s fundraising and get-out-the-vote efforts under chairman Michael Steele.
Eric Ryan: So, an RNC insider blames Michael Steele’s poor leadership for Djou’s loss . . . the VERY SAME Michael Steele who was blindly supported over much better candidates for RNC chair by the Hawaii GOP’s three representatives to the RNC… (blablabla)
Collins letter: PPM170_gentry_collins_letter
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“Progressive” Ian Lind defends earmarks: Hamakua ditch spending at top of list
ILind: Here’s a list of earmarks that benefited Hawaii in 2010, including everything from crime prevention to agricultural research, and everything in between. It’s drawn from the database compiled by Citizens Against Government Waste, which includes past years as well and is searchable by state or by individual member of Congress.
Top of the list? Hamakua ditch: http://ilind.net/misc%20/2010/pork2010.pdf (Larry Mehau and Malama Solomon are very pleased at being so well watered.)
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Unity? Kona faction Council chair appoints Kenoi loyalist Co clerk
HILO -- Jamae Kawauchi, a Hilo attorney specializing in land use, civil and business litigation, has been chosen to be Hawaii County's next clerk, Hamakua Councilman Dominic Yagong said Friday.
"She certainly has the support of the majority of the County Council, if not the whole County Council, for this appointment," said Yagong, who is poised to become the council's next chairman.
Kawauchi was appointed by Mayor Billy Kenoi to serve on the county's 2009-10 Charter Commission.
Her husband, James Takamine, gave $700 to Kenoi's 2008 election campaign, according to reports Kenoi filed with the state Campaign Spending Commission.
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Kauai utility receives $110M loan guarantee
The Kauai Island Utility Cooperative has received a $110 million loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Agriculture….They say the guarantee includes nearly $73 million to back financing for hydroelectric plant improvements and a 10-megawatt naphtha/biodiesel fueled combustion turbine.
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University of Hawaii's Final Report from secret negotiations on HRS 343
From Hawaii Land Use Blog: Pursuant to Act 1, Session Laws of Hawaii 2008, University of Hawaii researchers prepared a report for the Hawaii State Legislature on Hawaii’s environmental review system. A copy of the document is available at http://goo.gl/yURmK.
For previous blog entries on this study, see:
HRS 343: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrs2008/Vol06_Ch0321-0344/HRS0343/HRS_0343-.htm
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Abercrombie no response on Civil Commitment for pedophiles
The civil commitment programs enacted by other states have been assailed by critics as violations of the civil rights of offenders who have completed all the punishment and treatment programs available under criminal statutes.
Proponents tout civil commitment as a means to protect society from incorrigible predators.
Treatment afforded to the offenders in the state programs has had mixed results and various states have reported that the civil commitment system has been prohibitively expensive.
The federal civil commitment law can only be used against criminals convicted of federal sex offenses.
The law is named after the son of John Walsh, host of television’s “Most Wanted” show. Adam Walsh was kidnapped and murdered in Florida in 1981.
Hawaii Governor-elect Neil Abercrombie did not respond to a request for comment on whether a civil commitment law should be enacted here.
RELATED: Child molester back at work at Hawaii Legislature
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Honolulu Reporter searching for Court files on prostitution cases finds himself surrounded by Deputy Sherriffs
We filed a request with the police under the state's Open Records Law to see all arrest reports in prostitution cases from 2009. That was months ago, but we're still in talks over what's required to be made public.
In the meantime, we turned to the daily police blotter, a record about which there's no disagreement. It lists the names, addresses, etc. of every suspect arrested on Oahu and is available for anybody to review. Since July 8, we've been building a database of every person arrested on prostitution charges on Oahu. (We'll start telling you what we've found next week.)
To find out what happens to people arrested for the crime, we've also gone to District Court and paid to receive copies of the court records for a sampling of the cases. This week we returned to court, not to get copies of the other case files, just to review them….
Finally, one of the officer acknowledged, "We were called by them because you were haggling them."
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East-West Center Responds to Criticism
An East-West Center program, “Legacies of the Pacific War,” which EWC co-sponsored in July with the USS Arizona Memorial Museum Association and the National Park Service World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument, has been the subject of some critical attention because of one complaint that the program was anti-veteran….
RELATED: UH Manoa Anti-Americans place E-W Center funding at risk, East-West Center hammered for “sustained, biased and politically-motivated attack on World War II veterans”
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Big Isle UH campus announced
AP: University of Hawaii officials signed a deal Friday to build a new community college in Kailua-Kona on Hawaii's Big Island, which they say will be the most energy-efficient campus in the nation.
Hawaii Community College Palamanui will enroll about 700 students starting in fall 2012 and feature windmills, photovoltaic cells, waterless toilets and sewage treatment for its 78-acre campus.
Waterless toilets??? Here’s a quick toilet question: How much water is “consumed” when a 1.6 gallon low flow toilet is flushed? Answer: None. The water is not consumed, it is moved from one place to another and mixed with waste. But they can prolly save $$$ on the sewage treatment facility by installing these modern outhouses. Beware of spiders.)
Windmill future: Wind Energy's Ghosts
MORE: Construction agreement signed for Hawaii CC at Palamanui
SA: UH deal will replace Kona college campus
WHT: Dates set for Palamanui road, building construction
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Micronesians sue to block cuts in Hawaii’s Taxpayer-Sponsored Healthcare Benefits
An estimated 12,215 aliens now reside in Hawaii via COFA. They moved here without VISAs, in most cases to take advantage of free healthcare, public education, low-income housing and other social services. These legal immigrants comprise less than 1 percent of the population, but consume more than 20 percent of Hawaii’s social services, according to state estimates.
TOTALLY RELATED: Abercrombie admits responsibility for costing Hawaii millions under Compact of Free Association
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No cash No PASH: Feeeel-good liberals renew assault on pig hunting
"If Inga thinks it's cruel than change the laws and we won't pursue at all and then see what problems will arise after that," said Ollie Lunasco, Oahu Pig Hunters Association President.
Lunasco says he's been called to remove 100 pigs in the last two years and he says the state directly refers people to him.
"The feral hog population is out of control right now, say it gets worse, is the Humane Society going to go trap them and put them away in a humane manner? What are they going to do, call the government and say gee why aren't you taking care of this problem," said Lunasco. "The reason on Oahu we use a lot of dogs is that the pigs don't run they sit and fight and if you don't have enough dogs to pin them the pigs going to chase you."
Gibson says there are more humane ways to control the pig population and eventually wants the method of using hunting dogs banned.
(No traditional rights here, eh? But then pig hunters aren’t trying to shake down developers.)
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No cash, no PASH: Fighting over the meaning of the native Hawaiian rights defense in the Kalalau Valley
Yesterday Kauai attorney Dan Hempey (for the defendant-appellant) and prosecuting attorney Tracy Murakami (for the state-appellee) argued before the Intermediate Court of Appeals the case of State v. Pratt, involving a native Hawaiian convicted in the District Court of the Fifth Circuit for violating restrictions on camping in closed areas of Kalalau State Park. Pratt had unsuccessfully argued in a motion to dismiss charges in the trial court that his actions had been constitutionally protected traditional native Hawaiian practices.
(Yes, but he wasn’t trying to shake down a resort developer so he has no rights. Just like those poor fellows who were busted for transporting imu stones from Maui to Oahu via Superferry.)
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Kauai TVR fight: Director Ian Costa resigning from Planning
This will be of concern to anyone with business before the Planning Commission - think all those transient vacation rental non-conforming use applications filed just prior to the October 15 deadline and waiting for hearing dates….
ALSO: BYNUM DENIES REPORT OF ILLEGAL UNIT IN HOME AND BARRING INSPECTION
AND: Having barred single-family TVRs outside visitor designation areas, what’s next for the County Council?
KGI: Mayor hints more ‘team’ changes to come--Costa to resign as planning director
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Feds Won’t Block Aloha Petroleum’s Purchase of Shell Oil Hawaii Operations
The Federal Trade Commission has closed an investigation into Aloha Petroleum LLC’s purchase of Shell Oil Co.’s Hawaii gas station and terminal operations, a move that will significantly increase Aloha’s share of the state’s retail gasoline market and open opportunities for it on Maui and Kauai….
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A place to pay tribute to Hawaii's Fallen Law Enforcement
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - With all the memorials and places of honor in the state, you may be surprised to hear that there is no memorial for Hawaii's fallen law enforcement officers.
60 law enforcement officers in Hawaii have been killed in the line of duty - that includes officers from the Honolulu police department, neighbor island police departments, state and federal agencies, plus military police. Until now, there's been nowhere for people to go to pay tribute. Tiffany Johnson and her mother Joan Gribbin-Aiu are hoping to change that soon….
The police museum at HPD headquarters has a special section that pays tribute to fallen heroes, but right now, there's no memorial for all of the state's fallen law enforcement officers.
So, Tiffany and Gribbin-Aiu decided to take matters into their own hands and launched the Hawaii Fallen Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation, HLEMF, to get one built.
LINK: http://www.hlemf.org/
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Lame Duck: Web Censorship Bill Sails Through US Senate Committee
On Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approved a bill that would give the Attorney General the right to shut down websites with a court order if copyright infringement is deemed “central to the activity” of the site — regardless if the website has actually committed a crime. The Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act (COICA) is among the most draconian laws ever considered to combat digital piracy, and contains what some have called the “nuclear option,” which would essentially allow the Attorney General to turn suspected websites “off.”
COICA is the latest effort by Hollywood, the recording industry and the big media companies to stem the tidal wave of internet file sharing that has upended those industries
EFF: UPDATE: The Case Against COICA
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Information wants to be free Good article by Chad Skelton in today’s Vancouver Sun. As someone who regularly puts in Alberta freedom of information requests, I found it interesting that the province got a B+ for openness, tied with Manitoba and behind only Saskatchewan.

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In his address to the United Nations General Assembly today, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Guinea, Francois Lounceny Fall, confirmed the imminent holding of presidential elections in his country, hailing the polls as a sign of a “democratic dynamic” taking root there. "Our country will spare no effort to participate in this exciting [exercise], especially when it is anchored in a democratic dynamic that will materialize on 11 October with the holding of transparent presidential elections," Mr. Lounceny Fall told delegations on the closing day of the Assembly’s general debate. ""In this context, I welcome the leading role of the United Nations and all partners in the dialogue process that culminated in the signing of the global agreement of August 20, 2015, between the presidential camp and the opposition," he said. "From the inter-Guinean dialogue initiated this past June, with the support of the United Nations, the subsequent agreement with the opposition had indeed helped ease the political tensions in the country, which was crucial with the polls then just months away. "The Minister added that the election will mark "a new beginning towards a true economic and social development," particularly in the context of the implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, adopted last week by the General Assembly. "On other issues, Mr. Lounceny Fall welcomed the fact that Africa resumed its growth and is investing in defence and security capacities to maintain the stability of its States. Those efforts strove to put an end to all “flashpoints” hindering democratic progress at a time when the continent is facing terrorism that was affecting all regions. " “The elimination of economic and social inequality, and the participation of people and countries in inclusive development will stand as a “bastion against terrorism,” he said, underscoring that: “We must find ways to stem the scourge that strikes at the very heart of our people our people, attacks the symbols of our nations and causes profound humanitarian crises." "This goal, could not be won without a "participatory and collaborative dynamic of our people and our country" to define inclusive development policies and programs capable of fighting against marginalization, frustration and downturn, he said.

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