Representatives of the youth wings of the opposition parties held a special press conference at Tbilisi Marriott Hotel on Monday. Their spokesman Melor Vachnadze said that the deadline for freeing all political prisoners detained after the November 7, 2007 rallies given in a previous ultimatum was July 15. He once again called on the Government to release the detainees. He also demanded that people participating in raids on opposition rallies be punished.
The young opposition activists, who have already campaigned in Kakheti, will be holding meetings in the Samegrelo and Adjara regions. Their organisers say that the screening of a documentary showing Government oppression of opposition members and supporters from November 7, 2007 to date is also planned. After two days in the regions the young activists will start a continual rally in front of the Georgian Parliament. About 200 people will participate in this rally, which according to the organisers will not stop until their demands are met.
The ‘radical’ opposition leaders are also promising to hold a mass rally at the end of July, on the day of US Vice President Joe Biden’s arrival in Tbilisi, and another on the anniversary of the start of the Russian-Georgian war on August 7, 2008. The non-Parliamentary opposition members have suggested that the Government is “getting ready for the elections.” The leader of the Way of Georgia, Salome Zourabichvili, has said that the fact President Saakashvili has recently met the Governors of the Georgian regions and students indicates that he is preparing for the elections. Zourabichvili denied the President’s allegation that the Georgian economy has been harmed as a result of the protest rallies. “Making these kinds of statements is a political move designed to decrease the rating of the opposition before the elections. The economic crisis in the country is the result of “elite corruption” supported by the present administration,” Zourabichvili noted.
Meanwhile ruling party MPs have reiterated their call for “cooperation”. National Movement MP Mikheil Machavariani has said that a “consolidation” of political forces inside the country is necessary to resolve the “challenges and the problems” the country is currently facing. Parliament Speaker David Bakradze has also called on the non-Parliamentary opposition to start dialogue. He stressed the necessity of “political processes based on mutual respect.” “The Government is ready to hold an issue-based dialogue with the opposition on such important subjects as the country’s de-occupation, constitutional changes, election code and election commission changes,” he said. He added that the foreign policy of Georgia and the de-occupation of the country are issues which should unite all political forces with “healthy values.” The Parliament Chairman noted that relations in Parliament between the majority and the opposition are “healthy” and expressed the hope that similar relations will be established with non-Parliamentary opposition representatives.
Political analysts suggest that what for an outsider might seem a genuine offer could actually be seen as yet another “fake proposal” for someone who knows Georgian politics. Soso Tsiskarishvili, the President of the Experts Club, has said that this administration offer of dialogue is merely a PR stunt prior to the visit of the US Vice President. “For a year already we have been hearing that Georgia has overcome the consequences of the August war and the economic crisis. The reason for the public protesting is of course the August war, but such protest existed even before the war,” Tsiskarishvili has told The Messenger. “Amidst these calls for cooperation, the Government is proposing changes to the law which will restrict demonstrations. This law is not aimed against the current rallies. Most probably the Government is preparing for Parliamentary elections and wants to rig them like it did last year. It realises such vote-rigging will provoke protest in the population and the authorities are taking measures to prevent these future protest rallies,” the analyst stated.


Fighting for the first time inside a cage, Frenchman Gael Grimaud used a superior ground game to topple “Ice Viking” Arni Isaksson and claim the vacant Cage Warriors Fighting Championship welterweight title last Thursday in Amman, Jordan.
The main event of CWFC “Fight Night 2” at the Al-Hussein Youth City Boxing Arena saw Grimaud and Isaksson vie for the belt previously held by current UFC signee Pascal Krauss. The pair went back and forth in a topsy-turvy opening round with both men finding back-mount and hunting for submission attempts, but it was the second half of the frame -- when Grimaud secured a body-triangle and fired off hard punches -- which forecasted the ending.
Two minutes into the second period, Grimaud reversed an inside trip attempt from Isaksson and leapt into full mount. As the Icelander tried to roll free, Grimaud cinched up another rear-mounted triangle to bomb away with punches and particularly damaging elbows. When it became clear that Isaksson had no escape, referee Mark Goddard stepped in to halt the contest at the 4:14 point.
The victory moved Grimaud to a perfect 5-0 in 2011, all but one of those wins coming via knockout or submission. The Haute Tension product stated that he plans to fight again in November and expressed a desire to defend his newly won gold shortly thereafter.
Norwegian middleweight Jack Hermansson weathered an early knockdown and a gushing cut from England’s Mike Ling to keep his perfect record intact. Having stained his opponent with blood from top position for the middle part of the first round, a fading Hermansson opted to stand up and lob bombs at Ling, with a straight right hand finding its way through for a knockdown. Ling spent 30 seconds trying to regain his wits and fend off the pouncing “Joker,” but eventually had his lights turned out by Hermansson with vicious punches from above at the 3:30 mark.
Ireland’s Aisling Daly made the most of an extremely short-notice opportunity, besting Coloradoan Angela Hayes in the first women’s bout ever to take place on Jordanian soil. Having agreed to replace the injured Sheila Gaff less than two days prior, Daly wasted no time in charging the karateka Hayes with punches before leaping to guard and peeling off a textbook armbar after only 20 seconds. It was the second consecutive submission win for “Ais the Bash,” having also tapped Bellator talent Jessica Eye in June.
Wild-maned Englishman James “Scraps” Saville spoiled the professional debut of former NCAA Division II All-American Zac Stratton with a 46-second triangle choke, after which Saville used blood from his own nose to draw a peace sign on his chest. In other results of note, England’s Danny Mitchell and Ireland’s Cathal Pendred fought to a draw in their three-round welterweight tilt; Conor McGregor notched his ninth win and ninth knockout with a first-round mauling of Aaron Jahnsen; and Mervyn Mulholland submitted Jordan-based Russian Amir Gerandokov with an armbar at 2:30 of round one.
For the second time in three fights, Shunichi Shimizu deviated from his grappling-based attack and used a devastating left high kick to flatten his opponent on Sunday. This time, the 2010 Sengoku Asia bantamweight grand prix finalist crushed Yoshitaka Abe at 2:18 of their Zst 29 encounter inside Tokyo’s Shinjuku Face, sending Shimizu through to the second round of Zst’s featherweight title tournament. Another Sengoku vet, 21-year-old Tetsuya Yamada, opened up a cut on the eye of Masayuki Hamagishi to force a medical stoppage 21 seconds into round two, while Zst mainstay Masayuki Okude rebounded from his May loss to Shimizu with a first-round armbarring of Isao Kamiya.
Brazilian welterweight Romario Manoel da Silva (a.k.a. “Junior Killer”) outpointed fellow heavy-hitter Jaime Jara in the main event of Shark Fights 19 on Saturday, taking a clean sweep with scores of 30-27 across the board. Other winners at the Independence Events Center in Independence, Mo., included UFC veteran Rob Kimmons (53-second guillotine choke submission of Chuck Parmelee) and featherweight Brian Davidson (three-round unanimous decision over Vincent Eazelle).
Less than a month after his 18th birthday, Sergio Pettis made his professional MMA debut Saturday on the undercard of Canadian Fighting Championship 7 at the Winnipeg Convention Center in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The 135-pound younger brother of former WEC lightweight titlist Anthony Pettis put forth a strong showing against winless Canadian Kyle Vivian, forcing referee Jerin Valel into action after a head kick knockdown at the 1:46 mark.
Team Nogueira middleweight Thiago Goncalves did not disappoint his hometown fans in the main event of Friday’s Coliseu Extreme Fight. Fighting in Maceio, Alagoas, Brazil, for the first time in his seven-year career, Goncalves mixed varied strikes with well-timed takedowns to earn a unanimous decision over Peruvian Daniel Aspe after three rounds. In a pair of welterweight tilts, 23-year-old Cassiano “Tytschyo” de Freitas upped his record to 22-9 with a second-round guillotining of IFL vet Delson Heleno, and unknown Rodrigo Taigra upset Nova Uniao fighter Amilcar Alves in a four-round snoozer.
In the longest fight of his young career, unbeaten Floridian Raul Amaya needed 33 seconds of the fourth round to render Jesse Lawrence unconscious with a guillotine choke and take the vacant Art of Fighting welterweight title. Headlining his first event -- AOF 13 at the Germain Arena in Estero, Fla. -- the 25-year-old Amaya moved to 9-0 with six submissions and three knockouts.
J.J. Ambrose, a onetime prospect on “The Ultimate Fighter 12” and now wrestling coach at Tiger Muay Thai, recorded his sixth straight finish at Saturday’s Rites of Passage 11 “Onra” in West Beach, Saipan. Ambrose stopped local Robert Palacios with punches after 1:59, while the evening’s featherweight title bout saw Shane Alvarez edge out Derrick Rangamar in a five-round battle.
Five months after suffering his first defeat since 2005, Team Sityodtong’s Greg Rebello got back in the win column Friday with a second-round doctor stoppage of Cody Lightfoot in the 205-pound headliner of Classic Entertainment and Sport’s “Road to Glory” in Lincoln, R.I. On the undercard, Pawtucket-based “Hulk” Todd Chattelle halted Elias Rivera with punches in just 62 seconds, while Massachusetts welterweight James Boran improved to 6-0 with a TKO of Eric Henry at 2:05 of round one.
At Friday’s Rage in the Cage 154 in Chandler, Ariz., middleweight Steve Steinbeiss took 83 seconds to submit Rudy Aguilar with a rear-naked choke. Steinbeiss, who was bounced from the UFC in August 2010 after a pair of losses, has now stopped four straight opponents, three inside the opening round.
Former King of the Cage lightweight champ Tony Hervey continued on his comeback trail Saturday in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, emerging victorious in the headliner of Freedom Fight’s “For Honor and Pride” at Sudbury Community Arena. The Detroit “Lionheart” punched out Calgary’s Brad Cardinal at 3:45 of the third round, earning the Freedom Fight lightweight strap and stringing together his first back-to-back wins since 2009.


Naan bread on the barbecue. Pretty sure at least one of these was drenched in melted butter and devoured shortly after this photo was taken.
In the spirit of foodie sharing, I made the most amazing naan bread this weekend. It was soft, tender, and perfectly grilled on the barbecue; I slathered it in melted butter before using it to sop up the sauce from a chickpea curry. What could be better?
Thanks to the huge range of sauces and pastes sold in jars from the likes of Patak’s and Sharwood’s, it’s never been easier to make Indian curries at home without spending hours grinding spices and simmering pots on a hot stove. But what about the naan?
I’ve never met a supermarket naan bread that comes even close to the real thing from a good Indian restaurant. The packaged stuff is always too puffy, dry and flavourless. And bad naan, well … it can ruin an otherwise tasty Indian meal, and who’d want that? I long ago realised that if I wanted to make a good Indian meal at home, I’d have to learn to make my own naan.
After a few attempts over the past year, including one from a recipe in a popular series of cookbooks (which shall remain nameless) that left me with a serving plate piled high with floppy slabs of baked dough that tasted like flattened tea biscuits, I finally found a recipe that’s as easy to make as it is delicious.
So without further ado, here’s the link to the recipe from All Recipes. I’d call the recipe easy to easy-intermediate. If you know how to bake bread, it’s pretty basic.
First of, I used my stand mixer to do the kneading; it took about 7 or 8 minutes to reach the right state of kneadedness. I found that 4 cups of bread flour was more than enough to form the dough, not the recommended 4.5 cups, so don’t add all the flour at once; start at 3.5 cups, then add more if needed.
Also, riffing on a suggestion from someone in the recipe comments, I added half a teaspoon of baking powder to get some extra bubbly lift on the hot grill. I didn’t bother with the garlic addition, as I figured I could add some garlic butter if I really needed the garlic taste on a few slices. Oh, and if your barbecue is reasonably hot, less than a minute per side is more than enough to get a perfectly grilled piece of naan. The 2 to 3 minutes called for in the recipe would have yielded flat bricks of charcoal on my grill.


Owner says sell. Prime commercial development site. Up to 5 useable acres. Route 28 at Route 206. 260' frontage on Route 38. One-half mile from intersection of Route 28 and Route 206. Various commerical uses allowed. Great spot for warehousing or landscape. Zoned Highway Rural Commercial.


The biggest challenge in front of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) when it was voted to power in 2015 with a “scary mandate” was healthcare. Improving the health system and making it affordable was one of its key poll promises and after more than two years of governing the capital, it continues to come up with schemes to take healthcare to the masses.
For many, the healthcare system of Delhi has gone through a transformation like never before. This is seen firsthand in the state’s budget allocation. While the central government has assigned a little over two percent of the 2017-18 union budget to healthcare, the capital received an allocation of nearly 12 percent, at Rs 5,736 crore.
In July, the Delhi government announced a free surgery scheme, in which the state will bear the cost of surgery of patients at private hospitals if the government hospitals were unable to operate within a month. The scheme is applicable for Delhi residents from any income group who are undergoing treatment at one of the 24 specified government hospitals and are allotted a date of surgery after 30 days of diagnosis or if the specified surgery is not performed in the hospital.
The one-of-a-kind scheme in the country has taken many by surprise. On the launch of the scheme, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said that this was the third in the series of healthcare initiatives by the Delhi government after providing free medicines and free medical tests at private diagnostic centres.
Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, in this government’s maiden budget for 2015-16, announced a 45 percent hike in the planned expenditure of the previous year on health – from Rs 2,164 crore to Rs 3,138 crore. The budget for health was at Rs 4,787 crore, which was over 11 percent of the total budget. The second budget of 2016-17 too saw a hike of nearly 10 percent (Rs 472 crore) over previous year’s budget to Rs 5,259 crore for health.
In line with emphasis on primary healthcare, the initiative of setting up mohalla clinics was a first by the Delhi government. The idea was to develop neighbourhood clinics with simple and effective technology where the common man can get treatment from doctors for selected common diseases. The clinics provide medical check-up, medicines and tests for diseases like malaria, dengue, typhoid, hepatitis and HIV.
Though the deadline of building 1,000 clinics by 2016-end has been missed, the clinics are a hit among masses and have also received international praise.
Soni Mathur, a resident of Malaviya Nagar, says, “Earlier we used to take medicine for cough and fever on our own or visit a private clinic. But now we go to the nearby mohalla clinic. It is better since there is a doctor in place and we get a fresh check-up done.” She adds that the decision to provide free medicines in the clinics is also welcome. “Earlier people had to buy the same medicines from their own pocket, but now it is available to them without paying a single rupee,” she says.
But the initiative is not free from teething troubles.
The number of clinics is insufficient. Currently only 110 mohalla clinics are functional including some near night shelters like those at Shakurbasti and Sarai Kale Khan to treat the poor. Health experts say that the scheme’s impact cannot be assessed with such a small number. Full assessment will have to await the completion of the project. Moreover, the implementation of the scheme is not uniform. Apart from routine check-ups, some clinics provide immunisation to children and centres for DOTS (directly observed treatment, short-course) of TB patients; these services are not available in other centres. Additionally, not all clinics provide all the promised services. While the Delhi government had promised 212 tests, only around 25 tests are conducted.
The Delhi government has envisaged a three-tier healthcare structure in which mohalla clinics constitute the first tier. Polyclinics and government hospitals follow. “If the person needs treatment from a specialised doctor, then there are polyclinics, which are at the second tier of the Delhi healthcare system. And if someone needs long-term treatment, then there are government hospitals. The decision was taken to ensure a more systematic approach towards governance,” says Sisodia.
The waiting period list for surgeries in government hospitals is shocking. While private hospitals are a costly affair, patients have no other option but to endlessly wait for their turn at government hospitals. For tackling this, the Delhi government came up with the free surgery scheme. Under it, if the waiting period for 52 kinds of surgeries listed by the government, like heart bypass, cataract and kidney stones removal, is more than one month, patients would be eligible to get it done in 48 empanelled private hospitals in Delhi NCR.
While the long-term effect of this policy is yet to be seen, Jain says that it is yielding immediate results. “We will conduct a ground check after a span of six months. As of now, we see that the government hospitals have become alert and they are conducting surgeries at a fast pace. This is good for the government as well as the private hospitals. If this move can act as an alert for the government hospitals to function fast, then nothing like it. It is a positive step for us,” Jain says with a smile.
However, the government maintains that they haven’t set aside a separate budget for the scheme. “The chief minister has assured us that there will be no dearth of funds for this scheme. When a review is conducted, probably then it can be decided as to how much funds are needed. Now is just a testing period,” says a senior health official in the Delhi government.
Along with these initiatives, almost all medicines in Delhi’s list of essential drugs are given for free in government hospitals. Officials in the health department say that a budget has not been granted to the medical superintendents of the Delhi government hospitals.


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Carl Mullins has found a new calling. At 86 years old, advocating for COPD awareness, the Waxahachie man is no stranger to the limelight. Find this story and more in your Weekend edition of The Ennis News. Be informed, subscribe today!


The Moon Within NPR coverage of The Moon Within by Aida Salazar. News, author interviews, critics' picks and more.
A modern tale of early adolescence finds Celi navigating questions about her changing body, first attraction and a best friend's genderfluid explorations while resisting her mother's embarrassing plans for an ancestral Mexica moon ceremony to celebrate her first period.


Armenia’s macroeconomic performance has been satisfactory, and the financial system has been stable, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) says.
“Armenia’s banking sector has weathered the 2014 economic slowdown, aided by additional capital injected by shareholders, several mergers, and improved regulation and supervision. At present, financial soundness indicators show signs of improvement,” the IMF said Executive Board concluded during a November 30th discussed the Financial System Stability Assessment (FSSA) of Armenia.
“Bank profitability has gradually recovered, although it is still below pre-crisis levels. Nonperforming loans (NPLs) have fallen, of which a substantial proportion is covered by provisions, although NPL ratios are still high in a few banks,” the IMF said.
It added that since the 2012 FSAP the Central Bank of Armenia has made progress in strengthening Armenia’s financial system. The CBA has adopted measures to mitigate risks from dollarization.
“Higher risk-weights and provisioning were imposed on dollar assets to absorb the credit risk due to unhedged borrowing. Liquidity requirements were introduced in 2012 to mitigate the higher liquidity risk of foreign exchange funding. At the same time, the CBA has pursued an ambitious agenda to strengthen financial oversight, which includes adopting a risk-based supervision framework and addressing gaps in the regulatory framework identified in the previous FSAP,” the Fund stated.
Executive Directors agreed with the main findings and recommendations of the Financial System Stability Assessment (FSSA). They welcomed the progress made by the authorities in strengthening financial sector oversight and promoting financial deepening to further enhance financial sector resilience.
Directors commended the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) for the reforms undertaken since the 2012 FSAP review, notably in adopting the prudential measures to mitigate risks from dollarization and upgrading the risk‑based supervision framework. They encouraged the authorities to prioritize reforms, recognizing capacity constraints.


The Cops Almost Killed Ving Rhames For Going Into His Own House!
Ving Rhames appeared on Sirius XM recently and spoke about an incident between him and the police.
(AllHipHop Rumors)Ving Rhames is known for his work in classic films such as "Pulp Fiction." This Friday he caused a stir after revealing some personal information on SiriusXM’s The Clay Cane Show.
Rhames would appear on the show and there he discussed many things. One of those things was race relations.
Ving Rhames would then recall a time he had the police called on him by a neighbor. The neighbors thought he broke into his home.
“This happened this year. I open the door and there is a red dot pointed at my face from a 9-mm, and they say, ‘Put up your hands.’ Literally.," said Rhames.
Police would later end the situation after one of the officers realized Rhames' son played basketball on his son's team.
"What if it was my son and he had a video game remote or something and you thought it was a gun. I don’t know, just like Trayvon had a bag of Skittles,” said Rhames.
Police would later tell Rhames that a neighbor called the police. They reported seeing a large black man breaking into the home.


Managing editor at Facebook, early luncher.
Congratulations, finalists in today’s Scripps National Spelling Bee! Just try not to do this.
With a cell phone and Ustream channel, protester turned independent journalist Tim Pool is your window into Occupy Wall Street.
In a testament to just how far Steve Jobs’ influence reached, notables from politicians to athletes to technology executives have issued statements on the Apple founder’s passing.
Though NewsFeed’s childhood would suggest that cookies taste better with burnt fingers, society seems to have come to an impasse with dangerous kiddie cooking.
In the situation room Sunday, President Obama waited to hear if Geronimo was dead. Then word came. “We’ve IDed Geronimo,” said a voice.
For the seventh annual TIME 100 Gala, honorees gathered Tuesday at the Frederick P. Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City.
Bryan Wright hates Naked Lunch. So why did he read it? We told him to.
Suddenly, Ken Carson is the comeback kid. He’s been everywhere lately.
Natural disasters and pop music had Facebook users talking, but this year: Get ready for a vocabulary lesson.
A passenger train in China hit a record speed of 302 mph Friday, the fastest speed ever recorded by a conventional commercial train.


Prior to retiring following a tough and protracted working life (he left school at 14), my Dad spent almost thirty years working for a very well-known car manufacturer. From almost his first day, he maintained that vehicles rolling off the production line could, at negligible cost, have been greatly improved, both in terms of performance and reliability.
For years, however, the industry’s cut-throat economic realities ensured that cars were sold to unsuspecting motorists with one additional feature they would have preferred to do without: built-in obsolescence.
Referring to one of his employer’s best-selling UK-manufactured vehicles (now, ironically, much sought-after by classic car collectors) as a “tin can on wheels”, my Dad knew what he was talking about: you rarely saw one on the road that was more than five years old.
inclined to change them as frequently as they once did. It might sound harsh today, but this economic reality kept thousands of people, including my Dad, gainfully employed for decades.
Unwittingly or otherwise, many, many companies have, over the years, manufactured household goods and other products that consumers needed to change at regular intervals, although, as reliability and customer service has improved, this trend is considerably less apparent than it once was.
Meanwhile, manufacturers have tried to tweak or improve products in the hope of ‘up-selling’, but such strategies have enjoyed only mixed success. One of the best (worst?) examples was the introduction of ‘HD’ television, a complete waste of time as the crystal-clear definition on most televisions was already excellent.
Now it appears that the opportunities within the smartphone market to ‘up-sell’ by adding ‘must-have’ improvements are likely to arrive less frequently than they once did.
Smartphones have become an indispensable part of everyday life, powerful mini-computers in the palm of your hand, although it’s ironic that machines designed to encourage communication have also brought an end to that once enjoyable pursuit, conversation, as anyone who has been on a train journey recently would attest.
Twelve months ago, the former head of Dixons Carphone, Sebastian James, noted that as smartphone innovation had plateaued, customers were inclined to hold on to the phones for longer, allowing their existing contracts to roll over, or preferring Sim-only deals in place of queuing to get hold of the latest iPhone.
Though the smartphone market boomed by shunning the economics of built-in obsolescence, its propensity to provide consumers with more and more features, (many of questionable usefulness) appears to be reaching the end of the line. And while Mr James successfully identified the principal reason for slowing smartphone sales, he failed to note it early enough and paid for Dixon Carphone’s poor performance with his job.
After its forecasted pre-tax profits slumped by more than a fifth, Dixons Carphone announced the closure of 90 UK stores in the hope of reviving flagging profit margins. It could, however, be too late, because the smartphone industry has witnessed a power shift.
Manufacturers such as Sony, Apple and Samsung dictate terms to retailers, not the other way around, which means that high street outfits like Dixons Carphone must manage on narrower and narrower margins.
The company’s new chief, Alex Baldock, maintains that his organisation’s high street presence is “what makes this business distinctive and what gives us a competitive edge”, but despite a worthy commitment to invest in staff training, it’s the smartphone manufacturers that hold all the aces. After all, they can sell directly to customers via the internet.
Mr Baldock and his management team are understood to be talking with the mobile phone networks, hoping to secure higher commissions on the contracts they sell to customers, but the fear is that Dixons Carphone could, like many retailers, further reduce their high street presence. Not because what they’re selling is rubbish: far from it. Instead, they’re being squeezed by Britons’ propensity to buy online, a seemingly relentless trend that is having a devastating impact upon our high streets.
Investors in retail giants such as M&S and Dixons Carphone have endured a miserable time of late; their respective share prices have fallen by 24% and 43% respectively over the past 12 months. Unfortunately, no-one is predicting an upturn in their fortunes anytime soon.
Average speed driven by Tommy Davis between John O’Groats and Land’s End, completing the journey in 9 hours 36 minutes. The previous record was 11 hours 14 minutes, set in 1984. Mr Davis somehow avoided getting a speeding ticket.
Number of additional days taxpayers took, on average, to pay the taxman this year. Tax freedom day arrived last Tuesday after people worked the first 148 days of the year to pay their taxes. That’s three days more than in 2017.
Girl Guides, usually aged between 10-14, are to learn how to look after their money following the introduction of a “saver badge”, aimed at improving the girls’ financial literacy. Well done L&G for sponsoring the badge.
Percentage increase in UK sales of prosecco last year. While that sounds impressive, it’s the smallest increase since 2011. Still, there was enough for ‘Prosecco Princesses’ everywhere: they downed almost 36million gallons of the fizzy stuff in 2017.
Price of a 1931 cartoon map of prohibition-era Chicago, providing details of ‘Capone Territory’, bootlegging and gang wars under a peculiar ‘Sing A Song Of Gangsters’ heading.


WASHINGTON — Now that special counsel Robert Mueller has said President Trump's former campaign manager Paul Manafort is lying to federal investigators, the only thing that can keep the 69-year-old from spending the rest of his life in prison is a pardon from Mr. Trump.
That action is something White House press secretary Sarah Sanders dismissed Tuesday.
"I'm not aware of any conversations for anyone's pardon," Sanders said at a press briefing.
Adding to Manafort's troubles, The Guardian reported Manafort held secret meetings with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London, including one in 2016, just months before WikiLeaks released a trove of stolen Democratic emails. Manafort and Assange say the article is false and have threatened legal action over the story.
In September, Manafort agreed to cooperate with the special counsel in exchange for other charges being dismissed. It was Mueller's biggest victory to date, since Manafort could provide valuable information about any cooperation between the Trump campaign and Russia.
In a court filing Monday night, prosecutors did not reveal what Manafort lied about, but promised to issue a report detailing Manafort's "crimes and lies."
His lawyer said he has met with the special counsel's office several times and provided truthful information.
Former Whitewater investigator Solomon Wisenberg said Manafort may be playing the long game.
"I would say it's a good hypothesis that he never intended to cooperate and that he's angling for a pardon at some point in time," Wisenberg said.
Manafort has a history of lying in this case and was convicted of lying to banks and the government. He was also accused of lying about writing an op-ed and tampering with witnesses. Even if Mr. Trump grants him a pardon for all of this, he could still face state charges.


The Iraqi army has reportedly killed 30 militants in Baghdad and arrested several others. According to state TV, the gun battle took place in a Sunni district which housed top officials during Saddam Hussein's ruling.
This is believed to be a part of a special security plan against illegal armed groups launched by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
It comes only days before President George W Bush is to outline his new strategy for Iraq.


Director Ryan Coogler’s 2015 reboot of the Rocky franchise, Creed, is not only getting a sequel, it’s also getting a rematch of sorts. The first trailer for Creed II offers a preview of the impending clash between the heirs to the legacies of two of the franchise’s most famous characters.
Romanian boxer Florian “Big Nasty” Munteanu was cast in Creed II as the son of Ivan Drago, the Russian boxer who killed Apollo Creed in the ring during the events of Rocky IV, only to be defeated by Rocky Balboa in a climactic international match. As the trailer confirms, Munteanu’s character will challenge Creed star Michael B. Jordan’s Adonis Creed, the son of Apollo Creed, who came into his own after being trained by Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) in the 2015 film.
Scheduled to hit theaters November 21, 2018, Creed II will be directed by Steven Caple Jr. (The Land) from a script by Stallone and Cheo Hodari Coker (Luke Cage). Caple replaced Stallone as the film’s director in December 2017, and cameras are expected to begin rolling on the film in Philadelphia in March 2018.
Stallone first began hinting that Dolph Lundgren’s Russian powerhouse Ivan Drago could be involved in the film in some form back in July 2017. Stallone then stoked the fires of a potential matchup between Drago and Creed with a post on Instagram that pitted Lundgren’s character against Jordan’s second-generation boxer.
Stallone then confirmed the casting of Munteanu on Instagram after months of teases regarding a story inspired by Rocky IV.
Creed was the seventh installment of the boxing-themed franchise, and it hit theaters November 25, 2015 — exactly 40 years after the opening scene in 1976’s franchise-spawning Rocky. The film went on to become a critical and commercial hit, earning Stallone an Academy Award nomination for his supporting role, among other industry accolades. Although the film’s success made a sequel seem likely, it wasn’t until October 2017 that Stallone officially confirmed development on Creed 2, and initially indicated that he would take over as the writer, director, and producer on the eighth film — roles he has filled in many of the earlier installments of the series.
Stallone confirmed the sequel — and indicated the roles he initially planned to play behind the camera — in an October 2017 post on Instagram.
Original Creed filmmaker Coogler’s departure from the director’s chair was reportedly due to his commitment to Marvel Studios’ Black Panther, which he co-wrote and directed. Coogler remains involved with the rebooted Rocky franchise as an executive producer.
Creed II will now make it an even split between installments of the franchise directed by Stallone and those not directed by him. Along with introducing the world to pugilist Rocky Balboa by starring in the first film, he wrote every installment of the franchise except for Creed (which was co-written by Coogler and Aaron Covington) and directed four of them. Prior to Creed II, the only films not directed by Stallone were the original Rocky and Rocky V, which were directed by John G. Avildsen, and Creed.
Updated June 20: Added the first trailer for Creed II.


As Ohio State cornerback Bradley Roby stepped to the start line for the 40-yard dash Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine, draft analyst Mike Mayock told NFL Network�s television audience how much was at stake.
Then Roby did exactly what he needed to do during the final day of the combine. He posted an official time of 4.39 seconds in the 40, ranking fourth among all defensive backs.
NFLDraftScout.com projects Roby as a second-round pick in May�s draft.
If the Browns want to upgrade their starting cornerback spot opposite Pro Bowler Joe Haden, who served as a guest analyst for NFL Network on Tuesday while the defensive backs worked out at the combine, they could target Roby.
The Browns have an early second-round pick (No. 35 overall), and their depth at the cornerback position is suspect. Buster Skrine proved to be a decent starter alongside Haden last season, but rookie Leon McFadden struggled mightily once he finally received playing time as a nickel corner late in the season.
Roby was considered the top-rated cornerback prospect in college football at one point last year, but a rocky season as a redshirt junior knocked him back. Still, Roby is confident he can become a shutdown cornerback in the NFL.
After leading the nation with 19 passes defensed in 2012, Roby slipped last year, when he finished with 13.
The 5-foot-11, 194-pound Roby conceded that he didn�t have a good first half of the season after being suspended for the opener after an arrest for disorderly conduct at a bar in Bloomington, Ind.
Like Mayock pointed out, Roby had a rough day against Abbrederis, a projected third-round pick, as Ohio State edged Wisconsin 31-24 on Sept. 28.
Roby also took heat for sitting out Ohio State�s 40-35 loss to Clemson on Jan. 3 in the Orange Bowl with a hyperextended knee and deep bone bruise he suffered Dec. 7 in the Big Ten championship game against Michigan State. He defended himself on Twitter after some fans ripped him because he wasn�t on the field while Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins torched the Buckeyes with 16 catches for 227 yards and two touchdowns.
Roby hopes to bounce back in the NFL. Perhaps the combine represented his first step.
Haden discussed a variety of topics on NFL Network, including whether he would like the Browns to draft Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel fourth overall on May 8.
�Manziel, I love the way he plays,� Haden said. �I love his passion. You need that, especially with a young team that we have at the Browns. He would bring that fire to us, man, just that excitement. With �Johnny Football,� you never know what he�s going to do any play, and I like that about him.
Kent State running back and wide receiver Dri Archer had the best time in the 40-yard dash at this year�s combine.
The 5-8, 173-pound Archer posted a time of 4.26 seconds Sunday, and no one came close to beating it as the combine wrapped up Tuesday.
Last week, Archer predicted he would break the combine record of 4.24 seconds set by Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson in 2008. Although Archer fell just .03 seconds short of reaching his goal, he opened eyes at the combine.


George Michael has hinted that he is set to come out of live retirement.
In 2008 the singer played what many believed were his last gigs: two live shows at London’s Earl’s Court, billed as ‘The Final Two’.
George recently covered New Order’s ‘True Faith’ for Comic Relief and reissued his 1987 album ‘Faith’.


A few days ago we covered Way Basics, a company that has invented simple, basic furniture that is practical and versatile. The Way Basics line of modular furniture is made from the company's signature zBoards, a super-durable board made from post-consumer recycled paper that weighs much less than particle board. Each zBoard comes equipped with 3M double-sided tape, eliminating the need for tools or hardware and making assembly as easy as peel, stick, done. Way Basics says the recycled and recyclable modern furnishings are focused on human ability, while also meeting people's needs for ease, value, creativity and self-sufficiency.


BEIJING — China forced a New York Times reporter to leave the country Thursday, the latest in a series of government actions targeting journalists.
Austin Ramzy, who previously worked for six years in China for Time magazine, has not been given a journalist visa since he moved to the newspaper last year.With his temporary visa expiring, he boarded a flight to Taipei, Taiwan, on Thursday afternoon.
Ramzy’s forced departure will result in the first full-time Times correspondent in memory being stationed on Taiwan, an island China considers a rebellious province to be reunified with the mainland, by force if necessary.
Journalists with the Times and Bloomberg News have encountered visa problems since those organizations published articles about wealth and corruption among Communist Party leaders. The huge wealth acquired by “princelings” — relatives of elite government figures — is considered a particularly sensitive issue by the government.
Last month, as visas were due to expire for journalists at the Times, Bloomberg News and other media organizations, the government refused to process their applications until the last moment. The government relented after a personal appeal by Vice President Biden to China’s president.
Ramzy will continue to apply for a visa while reporting in Taiwan, Times spokeswoman Danielle Rhoades Ha said.
In Washington, White House press secretary Jay Carney said the administration is “deeply concerned” about the restrictions journalists face in China.
“These restrictions and treatment are not consistent with freedom of the press — and stand in stark contrast with U.S. treatment of Chinese and other foreign journalists,” Carney said in a statement.
At a news conference Monday, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Qin Gang, said Ramzy was not being expelled or forced to leave. He characterized the departure as bureaucratic in nature and accused Ramzy of violating Chinese regulations because he had continued to travel to China on his unexpired Time magazine visa while waiting for a new one.
The Times said the government had not canceled Ramzy’s old visa or raised its use as an issue until recently.
The Times and Bloomberg News have not been able to obtain visas for journalists hired for positions in China during the past two years. Both companies have only been able to renew visas for employees already in China.
The bureau chief for the Times, Philip Pan, has not been given a journalist visa for China despite trying for almost two years. Last year, reporter Chris Buckley was expelled after leaving Reuters to work for the Times.


Apple has failed to disclose the sales figures for its new iPhone for the first time since 2009, sending fanbois and investors into a spiral of doubt and fear.
The fruity firm normally thrusts upon the world a boastful press release announcing how many gazillions of new iMobes ordered even before the things have hit the shelves. But following the announcement of the iPhone 5s and 5c, Apple has failed to reveal these numbers.
The higher-end 5s can't be ordered in advance of going on sale, a decision that sparked concerns Apple may not have managed to build up a decent supply level, but the position on the iPhone 5c is unclear.
Apple has given absolutely no indication of how many orders it has received for the 5c – a cheaper, plastic-coated version of the iOS Jesus phone which could be ordered on Friday, 13 September, and will go on general sale next Monday.
The stock markets took Apple's sealed lips as a bad sign, with shares down $14.79 – 3.2 per cent – to $450 at the end of Monday trading.
The share sell-off was also sparked by reports that Chinese mega mobile network China Telecom had reduced its subsidy on both the iPhone 5s and the 5c. The Wall Street Journal quoted Mizuho Securities analyst Marvin Lo, who claimed the telecoms firm wanted to increase its bottom line.
"China Telecom had already cut the handset subsidies for the iPhone 5 compared to the iPhone 4S when it launched devices,” he said. “Regarding the same two-year contract with a monthly fee of 289 yuan (£29.68, $47.21), China Telecom’s handset subsidies for the iPhone 4S accounted for 47 per cent of the total contract value, but it has dropped to 39 per cent for the iPhone 5 and 31 per cent for iPhone 5s."
When the iPhone 4 was released, Apple announced it received 600,000 orders in 24 hours. This record was then smashed by the 4S, which managed one million pre-orders in the same time period, and the iPhone 5 doubled this to two million.
Seeing as the 5c was supposed to a cheaper model, but hasn't actually turned out to be very cheap, any increase in the price will shake the confidence of investors and public alike.


Last year, I took at look at a Darpa proposal to keep an entire city under watch. The idea was to network together surveillance cameras, and use computer algorithms to watch out for suspicious behavior.But it looks like the city of Chicago may beat Darpa to the punch. "A highly advanced system of video surveillance that Chicago officials plan to install by 2006 will make people here some of the most closely observed in the world," the Times says."Cameras are the equivalent of hundreds of sets of eyes," Mr. Daley said when he unveiled the new project this month. "They're the next best thing to having police officers stationed at every potential trouble spot."Police specialists here can already monitor live footage from about 2,000 surveillance cameras around the city, so the addition of 250 cameras under the mayor's new plan is not a great jump. The way these cameras will be used, however, is an extraordinary technological leap.Sophisticated new computer programs will immediately alert the police whenever anyone viewed by any of the cameras placed at buildings and other structures considered terrorist targets wanders aimlessly in circles, lingers outside a public building, pulls a car onto the shoulder of a highway, or leaves a package and walks away from it. Images of those people will be highlighted in color at the city's central monitoring station, allowing dispatchers to send police officers to the scene immediately.The Times notes that Daley & Co. "designed the system after studying the video surveillance network in London." It's an odd choice. Because the British camera systems' role in reducing crime has been, at best, inconclusive.


These hard-to-avoid spots are breeding grounds for illness-causing bacteria.
Research shows that public places like the gym are teeming with bacteria. Photograph via Shutterstock.
With changing weather and the end of daylight savings time comes another hallmark of fall and winter: cold and flu season. And if you find yourself succumbing to illness year after year, some surprising culprits could be to blame. Here are five of the top germ-infested public places to be extra wary of this flu season.
Fitness centers are well-known breeding grounds for germs that might lead to infections or athlete’s foot. A study found high levels of body contamination on door handles, shower floors, free-weight benches and bars, and dumbbells. And don’t forget to give your yoga mat a wipe-down before you roll it up to prevent bacteria from growing.
DC’s Wheaton Metro station boasts the Western Hemisphere’s longest set of single-span escalators. But you may want to avoid holding onto the rails, despite what the safety rules tell you. A study that looked at mall escalator handrails detected traces of blood, sweat, and urine. It also found blood, mucus, saliva, sweat, and urine on bus handles and armrests. Another study on a public transportation system in a US city found various strains of the infection-causing bacteria staphylococcus on bus and train floors, seats, armrests, and windows.
A recent study found that on laminated menus, salmonella survived up to 72 hours and E. coli up to 48 hours. And do you ever request a slice of lemon with your water or soda? A study that examined 76 lemons from 21 restaurants found that more than 60 percent of the lemon slices produced microbial growth.
Everyone knows a kid’s favorite time of the school day is recess. But what you might not know is that playgrounds are also hotbeds of germs. The same study that found bacteria on escalator handrails found that playgrounds were the site most likely to test positive for biochemical markers including blood, saliva, mucus, sweat, and urine.
A two-year study by Elizabeth Brooks, a biological sciences professor at New Jersey’s Rowan University, found that testers and makeup counters were contaminated with staph bacteria and E. coli among other germs. So before you try on that lipstick, think of the hundreds who could have tried it on before you.


I didn’t find a lot surprises in the Academy Award nominations this week. Sure, 13 for Shape of Water seems excessive, but Dunkirk, Three Billboards, Lady Bird and others got appropriate recognition. Not so for In the Fade, though. (See below). And why 7 nominations for films from Netflix? Isn’t it sort of a TV service? Isn’t it partly responsible for the severe decline in attendance at actual movie theatres last year? Once again though, I’m happy that The Boss Baby was recognized. It won’t win but it’s a contender.
IN THE FADE: The film won a Golden Globe a couple of weeks ago and Diane Kruger won best actress at Cannes. Sadly, they weren’t even nominated for Academy Awards. That’s a gross oversight because this is a powerful and timely film anchored by her electric performance. She exudes grief and then anger building to resolve to get revenge. All that without ever overdoing the emotional outpouring. She makes it feel stark and genuine.
MAZE RUNNER: THE DEATH CURE: It was only a few years ago that young adult dystopian movies were all the rage. But The Hunger Games is over; Divergent has fizzled and others have ended or wilted. This one arrives a year late because the star, Dylan O'Brien, endured a very long recovery after an accident during filming up near Kamloops. (The film was finished in South Africa). It’s the third in a trilogy and part of the title doesn’t even seem relevant anymore. Escaping from a maze happened in the first film. Running and more running happened in the second and now those escapees are on a mission that could cause a contradictory side effect. It could foil the development of a vaccine for a deadly virus called The Flare. They’re immune and have been pursued by the evil WCKD corporation hoping to duplicate that immunity. Seems like mixed motives there.
HOLLOW IN THE LAND: Scooter Corkle (great name) has worked for years in the film industry around here and has finally made his own movie. It’s strong in settings and atmosphere; not so much in plot. It takes you on so many turns you’ll be straining to follow them but you will get a genuine picture of small town life. Everybody knows everybody’s business and is fast to object to what they disapprove of. Scooter seems to know that well. He set the film in Castlegar in the Kootenays, where he grew up.


We came out very well of the 2007-08 crisis but we were affected in 2011-12 because we were the largest bank in the Eurozone during the sovereign debt crisis there.
Joris Dierckx has been in charge of French lender BNP Paribas in India since July 2015. During this period he has overseen the bank's shift in strategy to diversify into growing markets like India even as many European peers have retreated back into their home markets. Last year, BNP Paribas completed the acquisition of local brokerage Sharekhan, which it plans to develop as a digital financial services platform. In an interview to MC Govardhana Rangan & Joel Rebello, Dierckx details the bank's plans in the country.
How did you grow your business?
The advantage that BNP Paribas has is that the performance of our group is quite strong, which means we can continue to invest in the growth of our businesses to go into new businesses and to take market share. From 2013 to 2016, our plan for Asia Pacific was a switch from an ECB strategy to an onshore model, which we have done quadrupling our balance sheet to Rs 30,000 crore. We moved quicker as some other peers have disappeared and some banks have shrunk. We had to build a strategy to collect deposits from corporate clients and lending to them. Our clients are two-third Indian across corporate and financial institutions. We have actively marketed to MNC clients and grown that base. We look at the BSE 200 companies, which is now a broadened base for us. We work actively with private sector banks, because they are growing, NBFCs, insurance companies, asset management companies, etc.
How did you do in India in 2016?
It was a good year, but not fantastic. Through the growth of our balance sheet, we have been able to manage the allocation of our assets. We have been capitalising our profit and, last year, we have extended subordinated debt from the head office along with small capital injections to finance the growth of our balance sheet. So far, we have put in roughly 650 million euros (about `45,624 crore) in the bank in India. We have invested roughly 60 million euros (about `422 crore) in the last 12 months. This year, capital infusion will be more because RBI's norms are more stringent than Basel III global. We have internal approval to increase our onshore capital and are awaiting RBI's go ahead. We were able to allocate assets where it was more relevant, which allowed us to maintain profitability.
Why did you take a contrary bet when your peers were shrinking?
We came out very well of the 2007-08 crisis but we were affected in 2011-12 because we were the largest bank in the Eurozone during the sovereign debt crisis there. We had to adjust our business model very rapidly. In India, too, we switched our focus to a local currency balance sheet from a cross-border dollar-driven one. At the same time, our group's vision was, and remains, that BNP Paribas aims to be one of the few global banks that would remain truly global.
Banks have had to invest a lot in infrastructure because of regulatory requirements and technology. Only a limited number of banks are capable of doing that. The BNP Paribas Group has made the decision to invest to be one of those global banks. Because of this focus on being a truly global bank, we have been able to bring capital into India, which a lot of other banks cannot because it's not their strategy or they do not have the resources.
Secondly, the group's strategy in India was always broader than banking, focused on financial services, working through partnerships and that model is now evolving. In terms of breadth of activity, we are large and that is the longterm strategy for the group. Mutual fund, for example, is a small business for us currently, but we are investing in building it. Over time, as the mutual fund market develops, our mutual fund business in India will also grow.
Most foreign banks have stuck to corporate banking but you have a brokerage, mutual fund. What makes you confident about these businesses?
Our view is there is a huge potential in retail but the art is to tap in as a foreign player without over extending. Banking is a dynamic space, so we have to be realistic on what we can do. Personally, I think foreign banks have to be complementary to the local banking system which means we have to provide connectivity to global markets, geographic markets and we bring in technical know-how from other markets. It is very difficult to compete with domestic players, so we have to offer a complementary service to what they can do. India requires long-term commitment.
Sharekhan's clients are mostly at the lower end, what does it bring to you?
The retail brokerage is a successful business for us in Europe. Sharekhan is being developed along the lines of the bank's German strategy where the bank had brokerage and they acquired another broker in 2014 and consolidated the market position. A lot of retail business is being done on that platform in Germany and we are also doing a lot of digitisation projects on that. Sharekhan is also from the same business line, which is historically the brokerage but now being used as a platform for digital and mobile business for financial services to retail clients. We think India will grow bigger in terms of GDP per capita and market capitalisation as a percentage of GDP. More than 70% of savings in India are in bank deposits, which will also switch to more sophisticated savings and investment products, like equity. We want to be positioned in that market to capture the growth that we see coming. We want to also increase Sharekhan's market share in retail equity brokerage and double their 1.4 million clients and expand the product range into mutual fund and life insurance.
Do you see them becoming your bank's customers as well?
For now, no. We very consciously use the word retail financial services, savings and investment products. Sharekhan has been operating without a captive bank, so it works perfectly fine and we don't see any change in that. It will continue to operate as a retail savings and investment product platform.


We just got more video of Lil Wayne getting drenched onstage Sunday night and everyone says Birdman is the culprit, but it looks like lots of people got soaked during the melee, including Birdman himself.
As we reported, Wayne was onstage at LIV Nightclub in Miami, and as he rapped about his gripes with Cash Money the liquid hits the stage, appearing to douse him.
Check out the video ... it seems like people in the crowd are also throwing cups of what we're told is primarily vodka, and some squarely in the direction of Birdman.


Thousands of people are set to turn out for live music, arts, food and family activities at this year’s Farsley Festival.
The free event will take place on Saturday, June 24 between noon and 5pm at Hainsworth Park.
Co-organiser Ann-Marie Keighley, 36, said: “This year the theme is play so there’s going to be loads of activities.
She added: “We’re encouraging everybody to have picnic.
A team of eight people organise the annual event which formerly took place on Town Street.


The crowd of activists, celebrities, and donors laughed appreciatively. These are good times for the environmental movement, even if they’re lousy for everyone else. Two years ago, this event felt like a gathering of the French Resistance. This year, with Obama in the White House, the NRDC’s only fear was that it might somehow fail to capitalize on this tantalizingly opportune moment and tackle everything from climate change to landfill management.
As Baldwin put it, “Even Rush Limbaugh is recycling his old arguments.”The giddy mood was reflected in the choice of honorees: David Zaslav, the appealingly nerdy C.E.O. of Discovery channel, who was fêted with a video montage that featured footage of Man vs. Wild host Bear Grylls biting into a gigantic pus-filled worm (please tell us those were special effects, guys), and fur-and-leather-free fashion designer Stella McCartney, who was introduced by her dad, the one and only Sir Paul.
No bearded forest gnomes chained to old-growth redwoods for this group; these are high-achieving creative professionals who are making changes that others can reasonably be expected to emulate.
“She’s a very smart, very clever, very brave girl,” Paul McCartney told me when I asked about his daughter’s honor.
When she first started in the fashion business, she was with Gucci, which was a leather universe. And she had to be very brave. And I must say I wondered how long she would last. I thought she might have to cave in. But you know what? She never did, and she never will. She's now setting the trend.
Stella, for her part, accepted the honor with a heartfelt speech in which she thanked her husband and children for enabling her be a “working mum,” and declared, “I’m a great believer that we are animals, and we have to live in harmony with the animals.” Hear hear.
NBC was heavily represented in the audience as well as at the podium: Lorne Michaels, Fred Armisen (with Elisabeth Moss), and Kristin Wiig of Saturday Night Live were there, as were Matt Lauer (whose arm was still in a cast following his cycling collision with a deer), Bob Woodruff, and Jeff Zucker. NRDC chairs Graydon and Anna Carter sat with co-chairs Barry Diller, Diane Von Furstenberg, Vivi Nevo, and Zhang Ziyi. Also in the crowd were Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Wendi Deng, Tom Freston, and Jeff and Justine Koons.
NRDC president Frances Beinecke said the organization is focusing all its efforts on preparing for the next UN conference on climate change, set to take place at the end of the year in Denmark. Judging from the enthusiasm and combined clout of those assembled last night, there's every reason to hope that Copenhagen won't be another Kyoto.


It’s August 12th, and we’re celebrating Vinyl Record Day. Vinyl has come back in a big way over the last decade. But collectors already own classics such as Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon and Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours. Record collectors have been clamoring for something more. One of the best feelings in the world is discovering that hard to find original score at your local record store that you had no idea was even released. Well, our friends at Ship to Shore Media excel in every way in this medium. Their releases are obscure, but they are inviting in the most fun way possible.
Here I list eleven of my favorite cult albums from Ship to Shore Media and show off some gorgeous album artwork in the process. I trust you will find something you dig.
After the George A. Romero’s passing, I (like a lot of you) reminisced over George’s plethora of work. The Dead films come straight to mind, but it was Martin that stuck out for me. The soundtrack was composed by Donald Rubinstein who worked closely with Romero on a few of his other projects. It was once named “one of the top 100 coolest soundtracks of all time” by MOJO Magazine. It is limited to 2,000 copies in two different styles. There are 500 on Marble “Blood” Red (available in North America from Light In The Attic and in the UK from One Way Static), 500 on “Transylvanian Flashback” Black & White Swirl and 1,000 on 180-gram black vinyl. These look fantastic and sound even better!
Whether you dig this low budget bizarre feature, or just a fan of the Mystery Science Theater 3000 commentary of one of the best worst films to ever hit the silver screen, you cannot deny that Robert Smith Jr. & Russ Huddleston’s fusion of musical choices for Manos: The Hands of Fate is simply unmatched. A fun little fact about this OST; In early 2015, the original 35mm soundtrack negative to MANOS: The Hands of Fate was discovered, giving fans a better look into the bizarre world of the film. After a restoration by Steve Addabbo at Shelter Island Sound in New York City, sonic imperfections still apply, but definite audio improvements have been made, including a drastic decrease in hiss and distortion. Ship to Shore believes that this is the definitive audio edition of MANOS: The Hands of Fate. Comes in obvious red and black or straight black vinyl.
A mash up made in hell. Joe Renzetti’s haunting score to 1990’s cult film Frankenhooker has been sought out for quite some time. On top of this release, we also get Joe’s soundtrack to Basket Case 2. A double helping of horror greatness! Instead of going for the obvious, campy approach, Renzetti plays it straight, letting his moody, sometimes unsettling music act as a counterpoint to the absurd on screen happenings. This release features reversible cover art by Cleveland comic-book legend John G, extensive liner notes by Renzetti and a completely remastered score supervised by the composer. This release is available in Frankenhooker purple and red & black vinyl.
Originally released for the PC-8801 in Japan, gaming master Hideo Kojima’s SNATCHER was later localized into English and ported to the ill-fated Sega CD. Over the years, the game along with the soundtrack has developed an insane cult following that persists to this day. I highly recommend you check out the gameplay! It’s basically Kojima’s early love letter to Blade Runner. Cyberpunks do not want to miss this one! Comes in “Snatcher’s Eye” green within gray and Crystal Clear.
30 years ago Darius‘ high octane and action infused gameplay captivated players from all over. One of the most heralded soundtracks in the expansive Zuntata canon, the original soundtrack to Darius sounds as fresh and innovative as it did when its sounds filled arcades back in 1987. Composed by Hisayoshi Ogura, this soundtrack will transport you back in time and make you wish you were battling large alien battleships all over again! Comes in silver hawk Player: 1 Red and Player 2: Blue.
Legendary Japanese video game developer Taito has always had one constant throughout most of its existence: incredible soundtracks by in-house band ZUNTATA. Ship to Shore is proud to present the first volume in a series of compilations showcasing the incredible work that ZUNTATA did on Taito’s arcade titles. Volume one contains selections from Night Striker, Metal Black and Elevator Action Returns, three classics from the early 90s. Remastered for vinyl using source files from the Taito archive and housed in a gatefold jacket with liner notes by USgamer’s Jeremy Parish and ZUNTATA member Katsuhisa Ishikawa, this is a release not to be missed by classic VGM fans. This one is so good it comes in three different looks. Blue STS Exclusive, Yellow and classic black.
If you’ve played Night Trap (we covered it’s glorious return here), the classic 80’s theme song never left your gray matter. For its 25th anniversary, the cult horror title originally released for the Sega CD is coming to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One later this year. Ship to Shore is bringing us a beautiful 7″ LP including the games theme song and two tracks from the original score composed by Sunny BlueSkyes and Martin Lund. The purple edition was available on StS site, but a red vinyl will be available from Limited Run Games at a later date.
Joy Sticks starring Joe Don Baker was a film about a successful businessman who attempts to shut down an arcade he believes is harmful to the mental health of children. Boy if he only saw kids today… Composed by Ray Knehnetsky and performed by Legion, let these jams from the 80’s take you back the age of horny nerds and bra-less wonders. This edition includes exclusive liner notes from the composer in a fold-out insert that displays a scan of the Japanese VHS cover art. You’ll also find ‘period-accurate’ Dot-Matrix-printed insert of new interviews with cast members Morgan Lofting (Mrs. Rutter) & Kym Malin (Lola) and screenwriter Al Gomez. All orders will include a digital download instantly emailed to you. Comes in Arcade cabinet red!
Never before has this TROMA classic hit vinyl. Luckily for you, today is your lucky day! Composed and performed by Chris DeMarco and directed by Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz, TROMA’S WAR tells the story of a group of marooned citizens who stumble upon a terrorist plot to take over the United States. With no help in sight and no way to contact reinforcements, it’s up to these ordinary people to save the world! A political satire of the glamorization of war in the 1980s, TROMA’S WAR is considered Troma’s “undiscovered masterpiece,” and the film celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2018. Featuring liner notes from both composer DeMarco and Troma’s WAR director and President of Troma Entertainment Lloyd Kaufman, this limited edition album will be pressed on fireball (red, white and orange) splatter vinyl.
Axiom Verge was recently described as a blend between John Carpenter and Metroid; this original soundtrack is not to be missed! Thomas Happ’s modern and inventive take on 8 and 16-bit chip tune will transport listeners to the surreal, high-tech world of the game. Axiom Verge pressing will be limited to 1,000 copies. 250 will be on a limited “Axiom Disruptor” red/orange sunburst variant, and the remaining 750 will be a purple marble variant. Each album will be housed in a single sleeve with original art from the game. The album will also include a double sided insert including original rough sketches from the game and liner notes from developer and composer Thomas Happ.
If any of these cult favorites interest you, check out Ship to Shore’s site and see what rad vinyl are still available. Certain editions of pressings will only be available for a short time. Jump on them now while you still can.
Speaking of, if you are in or around the NYC area Ship to Shore has a special treat for you. They are presenting the New York City debut of legendary Italian horror film soundtrack composer, Fabio Frizzi and his 8-piece band on October 29 and October 30 at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Tickets are available now.


EAST Lothian Council workers who live in the countryside are being advised to set aside their holidays to cover absences from work or face losing pay if another Beast from the East hits.
A revised staffing policy for severe weather absences warns East Lothian Council will continue to dock the pay of workers who cannot get to work if storms hit.
However the council’s chief executive Angela Leitch told councillors that if staff could not fulfill their contract the council “could not pay them”.
While other local authorities, such as City of Edinburgh Council, took to social media to assure staff they would be paid if they were unable to work during the Wednesday and Thursday of the red weather warnings last March, East Lothian Council repeated its advice that workers should report to work if it was “safe to do so”, or attend the nearest council office or suitable premises, or work from home or other suitable locations.
Following a review of its actions, wages were reinstated for those who missed work during red weather warnings and the policy was reviewed.
However the revised policy, which was approved by Cabinet this week, showed little change except adding in advice for rural workers to set aside holidays.
Councillor WIllie Innes, council leader, said he expected that should another Beast from the East hit the county, councillors would once again step in to ensure wages were not docked.
The cabinet approved the new policy.


Drought conditions may have leveled off across California, but nearly 100% of the state remains in the third-harshest category for dryness, according to the latest measurements.
For the past two weeks, California's drought picture has remained the same, halting a steady march toward worse. But the breather has allowed the state to recover only ever so slightly.
In May, 100% of California was experiencing "severe" drought -- the third harshest on a five-level scale -- but since things have leveled off, that figure has only improved to 99.8%, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor report.
Meanwhile, nearly 82% of California continues to suffer "extreme" drought, and within that area, more than half the state is under the driest "exceptional" drought category.
The figures comes as the state Water Resources Control Board authorized strict fines for water wasters in July as part of the latest conservation effort.
As cities across California start enforcing penalties with renewed gusto for over-watering, residents have felt the consequences -- some incurring huge fines, others annoyed with browning neighborhood lawns.
In Santa Cruz, residents who incur penalties can even attend one-time classes instead of paying fees -- the water equivalent of traffic school.
As images of dry lake beds and muddy streams continue to proliferate, forecasters warn hope for relief has dimmed somewhat.
The latest long-term forecast shows the chances of a wet El Niño weather pattern starting this fall has decreased to about 65%, and if it does arrive, it will probably be weaker than originally expected.


The Federal Reserve told the 31 largest U.S. banks to test their loan portfolios and trading books against a deep recession and a European market shock.
The test’s severest point will assume a 13 percent jobless rate and an 8 percent decline in U.S. gross domestic product. Bank holding companies with assets of $50 billion or more are being asked as part of their 2012 capital plan review to project revenues, losses and capital positions through the end of 2013 using four different scenarios, two provided by the Fed and two defined by the banks.
The Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review is a centerpiece of the U.S. central bank’s heightened oversight of the largest lenders. It is also an exam of decision-making by the firms’ management and boards. The Fed is assessing how well they understand their risks and demands on earnings and capital from new standards coming from both international accords and the Dodd-Frank act in the U.S.
The aim “is to ensure that institutions have robust, forward-looking capital planning processes that account for their unique risks, and to help ensure that institutions have sufficient capital to continue operations throughout times of economic and financial stress,” the Fed said in a statement.
The reviews will extend from the fourth quarter of 2011 until the last quarter of 2014, taking into account loan-loss reserves at the end of 2013. Each Fed scenario for the U.S. variables includes five measures of economic activity and prices, four aggregate measures of asset prices or financial conditions and four measures of interest rates. The six largest banks will also have their trading portfolios tested against a “global market shock,” the Fed said. It said the scenarios don’t represent its outlook for the economy.
The decision to make the scenario public before the tests began marks a step toward greater transparency in supervision by the Fed. The central bank didn’t disclose the scenarios when it started its 2011 stress tests in November last year. The Fed completed those tests in March.
The 24-stock KBW Bank Index, which includes shares of companies such as Bank of America Corp., Northern Trust Corp., and Capital One Financial Corp., is down 31 percent for the year versus a 5.5 percent decline for the Standard and Poor’s 500 Index.
The Fed said it would publish the results of the market shock scenario of the six institutions.


If MySpace and the U.S. government want to protect kids, they shouldn't be turning to email. They should be using IP addresses.
Last week, the social networking giant--clearly prodded by government pressure--announced its latest safety efforts, created alongside attorneys general of 49 states. A critical part of those efforts is centered on email.
MySpace plans to let parents submit their kids' email addresses; MySpace will then block those address users from setting up MySpace profiles. If young kids can't create MySpace profiles, the argument goes, they'll be safe from those MySpacers who use kids' MySpace pages to harm them.
But the plan has a critical flaw--it's extremely easy for kids to set up free email accounts. And so even if parents submit what they believe to be their kids' sole email address, there's little to keep kids from signing up for a new address without their parents' knowledge. And once kids have a secret email address, there's little to keep them from setting up a secret MySpace profile.
That's where IP addresses come in. MySpace should offer a simple interface that lets parents recognize their computer's IP address, and to share that IP address with MySpace (the technology behind this would be relatively basic). Parents could then tell MySpace to reject new profiles created through their IP, and thereby blocking kids' participation in the online networking site.
It will be difficult for kids to get an IP address behind their parent's back--and so it will be hard for kids to create a secret MySpace profile, too.
Schools and libraries should also block MySpace from their computers. That way, kids whose parents don't want them on the site won't be able to set up secret MySpace profiles from school.
Obviously, an IP-blocking strategy won't eliminate all online dangers overnight (if only things were that simple), but it will do significantly more to protect kids than collecting e-mail addresses ever will. And since it's the best we can do for now, we owe it to our kids to make the new plan happen.
After all, kids' safety on social networks isn't just an issue within massive MySpace. It's equally critical in the entire world of online social sites--like Facebook, Bebo, Orkut, Club Penguin, myYearbook, and every other social network that exists or that will emerge later. So protecting kids on MySpace means securing the whole future of our youth online, and that's a serious issue.
That's also why I say: put IP data to good use now.
David Honig is Vice President, Media at Didit. Reach him at david.honig@didit.com.


Michele Rizzuto rode out the storm at home in Indialantic, and will consider evacuating next time a major hurricane approaches.
Around 9 p.m. Sunday, Michele Rizzuto felt Hurricane Irma’s winds ratchet up from her Indialantic condo nor far from Paradise Beach.
Overnight, sideways rain pelted beneath sliding doors, soaking one towel after another. Rizzuto saw electrical transformers explode outside and lost power, and a fire alarm went off.
Her condo and neighboring ones suffered little damage. But reflecting on the experience while checking out the beach Monday morning, Rizzuto said Irma's peak intensity made her better appreciate that an evacuation might be in order for the next storm.
“Next time, if a hurricane comes through (as a Category) 2 or higher, I’d probably contemplate leaving for the mainland,” she said.


By W. Gardner Selby on Thursday, December 21st, 2017 at 7:18 p.m.
Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Lupe Valdez, shown here at a January 2017 Texas Tribune event, said unauthorized immigrants account for 1.6 percent of crime--a claim we rated HALF TRUE (Reshma Kirpalani/Austin American-Statesman photo).
Long before Democrat Lupe Valdez declared her candidacy for governor, she differed with Republican incumbent Greg Abbott over the change in law put in place by Texas lawmakers this year to bar local communities from harboring immigrants living in the country illegally.
The state’s sanctuary cities bar, which as of December 2017 remained partially blocked by a federal judge’s ruling under state appeal, empowers local police officers to inquire into a person’s immigration status during routine encounters such as traffic stops. The law also requires local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration agents and to go along with detention requests placed on inmates suspected of illegal immigration. Senate Bill 4 imposes stiff fines and criminal charges on government officials who choose to ignore it.
In July 2017, according to a Dallas Morning News story, Abbott defended the law before the Sheriff’s Association of Texas, saying it "would remove from the streets dangerous criminals, not detain hardworking families and innocent children. I appreciate the strong support the law has received from so many sheriffs across Texas," Abbott said.
That story also quoted Valdez, then Dallas County’s fourth-term sheriff, calling the law a political tool to attack vulnerable Texans. "Throughout history, we've had a vulnerable group to pick on," Valdez said. "Now it seems to be Hispanics," Valdez said.
Valdez further said that Texas Department of Public Safety numbers show that only 1.6 percent of crime is committed by unauthorized immigrants, according to the story.
National research suggests that residents living in the U.S. without legal permission don’t account for a lot of crime. But we fell short of eliciting a full unpacking from Valdez about how she reached the 1.6 percent statistic nor did we independently find a way to confidently settle on a specific percentage.
After Valdez resigned as sheriff to launch her bid for governor, we asked how she reached the 1.6 percent figure.
By email, a campaign aide, Kiefer Odell, pointed us to Valdez’s Dec. 10, 2015 testimony before the Texas House Committee on State Affairs.
At Odell’s nudge, we watched the Texas Legislative Council’s video of the hearing, which opened with the panel chairman, Rep. Byron Cook, R-Corsicana, saying that according to the DPS, "there are over 176,000 criminal immigrants that have been booked into our local Texas jails between 2011 and 2015" on almost 500,000 criminal charges, Cook said, including homicide, sexual assault, kidnapping, burglary, theft and robbery "and," Cook said, "these are only those that are reported crimes.
"Clearly this presents a public safety crisis in our state," Cook said before going on to say that legislators would focus in advance of the 2017 session on legislation to restrict sanctuary cities.
Valdez challenged the need for such legislation while stressing that the Dallas County sheriff’s office was complying with individual federal requests to detain individuals suspected of living in the country without permission.
"Jails should be for people we’re afraid of," Valdez testified, "not for people we’re upset with." She also said: "The undocumenteds are no more likely to commit crimes than our native-born citizens."
A legislator asked Valdez to speak to her foundation for the latter statement. The sheriff replied: "Well, as you heard before, the director said 170,000 crimes were committed by undocumenteds in four years. That’s out of 11 million 100,000 and something. And when you bring that right down, it came out to 1.76 percent, and we rounded off to 1.8 percent of the crimes committed in Texas during the same time period.
"So under 2 percent of the crimes were committed, that we have record of, for all, either documented or undocumented, it was 2 percent of the actual crimes," Valdez said.
We asked Odell to share the source and significance of the 11.1 million figure offered by Valdez toward reaching her conclusion that less than 2 percent of Texas crimes from 2011-15 could be attributed to unauthorized residents. We didn’t hear back on that.
We also queried the DPS about Valdez’s "1.6 percent" claim; spokesman Tom Vinger offered no comment though he pointed by email to an undated DPS web page, "Texas Criminal Alien Arrest Data," lacking in information that in itself would confirm or invalidate Valdez’s claim.
As of December 2017, the page said that more than 238,000 "criminal aliens" had been booked into Texas county jails from June 2011 through November 2017 and those booked individuals had, in their respective lives, accumulated 632,000 criminal charges. There was no data on the DPS web page about other arrested or convicted residents and no estimate of the share of arrests accumulated by unauthorized U.S. residents.
A cautionary note about the DPS presentation: A "criminal alien," the Government Accountability Office notes, is a non-citizen convicted of a crime who may be lawfully or unlawfully living in the country. This definition makes it likely that not everyone described in the DPS summary was living in the U.S. illegally, which makes it hard to decipher what to make of the counts on the page.
Hoping for other insights into the share of people living here illegally who commit crimes, we reached out to other criminal justice experts.
By email, Austin-based Tony Fabelo, a researcher for the Council of State Governments Justice Center, offered a back-of-the-envelope approach to gauging Valdez’s claim using the posted DPS numbers. Fabelo wrote that annualizing DPS’s tally of more than 238,000 "criminal aliens" booked into jails over six-plus years, as posted as of December 2017, suggests a rate of 39,000 such bookings a year.
"Not all arrests lead to a jail booking, but let us assume they do," Fabelo said. That in mind, he went on, the DPS for 2016 separately reported more than 758,000 adult arrests for criminal offenses in the state. So, Fabelo said, bookings of unauthorized residents may have accounted for about 5 percent of all such adult arrests--a figure exceeding Valdez’s declared percentage (though this rough figure, we noticed, also couldn’t account for the fact that not all "criminal aliens" are living in the country without legal permission).
Next, we applied the same methodology to a figure that Valdez noted in her 2015 testimony.
In the five years from 2011 through 2015, annual DPS crime reports indicate there were 4,389,998 adults arrested in Texas for criminal offenses--making it possible to say, we calculated, that the 170,000 Cook-described arrests of "criminal immigrants" amounted to about 4 percent of all the adult arrests in the state. Now if Cook was referring only to arrests from 2011 to 2015--his comment at the hearing was unclear on the timeframe--then we calculated that the 170,000 "criminal immigrants" may have accounted for 4.7 percent of 3,613,691 total adult arrests from 2011 through 2014. But absent expert analysis, we wouldn't brandish these conclusions as facts.
Precise percentages aside, PolitiFact researchers have found that unauthorized residents don’t account for more crime than other residents. In August 2017, most recently, PolitiFact California followed on a 2016 PolitiFact fact-check and found Mostly True a claim that undocumented immigrants commit less crime than native Americans.
That fact-check noted a 2015 National Academy of Sciences study that cited another outfit’s report including, we noticed, a 1.6 percent reference, though the figure in this instance reflected on male immigrants only.
Let’s revisit it. The July 2015 report from the American Immigration Council, a pro-immigrant nonprofit, generally states that U.S. Census Bureau data support the conclusion that immigrants are less likely than native-born Americans to be behind bars, though the report doesn’t present figures limited to unauthorized residents.
"According to an original analysis of data from the 2010 American Community Survey (ACS) conducted by the authors of this report, roughly 1.6 percent of immigrant males age 18-39 are incarcerated, compared to 3.3 percent of the native-born," the report says. "This disparity in incarceration rates has existed for decades, as evidenced by data from the 1980, 1990, and 2000 decennial censuses. In each of those years, the incarceration rates of the native-born were anywhere from two to five times higher than that of immigrants."
"The most thoroughly studied aspect of this phenomenon has been the drop in rates of violent crime since the early 1990s in cities that have long been ‘gateways’ for immigrants entering the United States, such as Miami, Chicago, El Paso, San Antonio, and San Diego. However, the inverse relationship between immigration and crime is also apparent in ‘new’ immigrant gateways, such as Austin, where rates of both violent crime and serious property crime have declined despite high levels of new immigration. Declining rates of property crime have also been documented in metropolitan areas across the country. Some scholars suggest that new immigrants may revitalize dilapidated urban areas, ultimately reducing violent crime rates."
Walter A. Ewing, a senior researcher for the council, told PolitiFact in 2016 that immigrants come to the U.S. to build better lives for themselves and their children. "They are very motivated to not blow that opportunity by getting in trouble with the police," Ewing said. "This is especially so for unauthorized immigrants, who can be deported at any time for unlawful presence."
We asked Ewing to speak to Valdez’s 1.6 percent claim. By email, Ewing said he didn’t know "of any source of information that would allow that precise of an estimate of the share of crime attributable to undocumented immigrants. If there is a solid source for those numbers, I’d love to know what it is," Ewing wrote.
The council’s conclusion was echoed in a 2017 report from the libertarian Cato Institute stating, in part, that U.S. "immigrants are less likely to be incarcerated than natives relative to their shares of the population. Even illegal immigrants are less likely to be incarcerated than native-born Americans," Cato said. To be specific, the report said that in 2014, per Cato’s analysis rooted in the ACS, illegal immigrants aged 18 to 54 were 44 percent less likely to be incarcerated than natives in the age group.
That report also took note of a February 2016 Texas Tribune news story that drew on information obtained from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to estimate that 4.6 percent of Texas inmates were illegal immigrants upon whom federal authorities had placed detainer requests. At about that time, the story said, an estimated 1.7 million illegal immigrants comprised 6.3 percent of the state’s population.
We also asked Cato analyst Alex Nowrasteh to review Valdez’s claim. By phone, Nowrasteh said it looked to him like some figures may have gotten confused. The 11.1 million number Valdez offered at the House committee hearing, Nowrasteh said, might trace to a widely-cited estimate of 11 million illegal immigrants living in the U.S. in 2015, which was down from an estimated 11.3 million in 2009.
Generally, Nowrasteh said, "the government has been stingy about releasing facts about immigrants and crime. There’s no excuse for not releasing all the facts and data. It should be easy for the public to look up."
Valdez said DPS numbers show that 1.6 percent of crime is committed by unauthorized immigrants.
We didn’t find DPS figures or an understandable methodology to support a specific "1.6 percent" conclusion--nor did we work up what we’d consider a solid alternate estimate. Relevant data seems to be unavailable. Still, national research supports Valdez's point that people living in the U.S. illegally account for little crime.
Published: Thursday, December 21st, 2017 at 7:18 p.m.


WASHINGTON -- The Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) and the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Environmental Awards were presented June 5, in two different ceremonies at the U.S. Navy Memorial and Naval Heritage Center here.
The SECNAV and CNO Environmental Awards program recognizes Navy and Marine Corps personnel, installations and ships for their exceptional environmental stewardship.
The CNO Environmental Award winners were presented first, and SECNAV winners were announced in a following ceremony.
Vice Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Mark Ferguson presented the CNO the Environmental Awards on behalf of the Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Jonathan W. Greenert.
"I am ever mindful that the strength of this great Navy does not rest with technology or platforms alone--the real capability resides in the people serving and their extraordinary hard work and dedication," said Ferguson. "The exceptional men and women - Sailors, civilians, and government contractors - receiving awards today seized the opportunity when given to them, and went the extra mile in protecting our environment.
"Over the past several years, the Navy has greatly expanded efforts to make our ships, aircraft, and shore installations more energy efficient. We focus 85 percent of our efforts on identifying and implementing energy efficiencies, which reduces resource consumption and translates directly into greater readiness and enhanced combat capability," he said.
Commander, Navy Installations Command Vice Adm. William French was in attendance and congratulated the shore installation winners.
"I want to congratulate all of you on your continuing dedication to improve our shore installations environmental readiness and conservation efforts. Your work directly reflects and supports the Navy's overall environmental stewardship as we continue to increase these endeavors into the 21st century," said French.
Cultural Resources Management, Installation - Cultural Resources Management Team, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickman - Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs, Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command/Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center 29 Palms, Calif.
Environmental Restoration, Installation - Portsmouth Naval Shipyard - Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.
Awards were presented in a variety of categories including natural resources conservation, cultural resources management, environmental quality, pollution prevention and environmental restoration.


Former Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) head Mzwanele Manyi asked that a member of the Zondo commission’s legal team recuse himself on Tuesday.
Manyi was expected to conclude his evidence on Tuesday, but before proceedings could get underway, he accused evidence leader Vincent Maleka SC of treating him unfairly the previous day, asking that the advocate recuse himself.
Manyi later backtracked, saying that he did not want to frustrate the work of the commission.
Manyi told the commission — chaired by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo — that he had written a letter pointing out that Maleka may be conflicted as he had previously been involved in legal matters against him. Manyi called Maleka’s cross-examination of him “prosecutorial”.
On Monday, Manyi argued that The New Age (TNA) had not received nearly as much money from GCIS as it has been made out in testimonies provided by previous witnesses.
In August 2017, a company owned by Manyi forked out R450-million to buy TNA Media and ANN7 from Gupta-owned firm Oakbay. In July, Manyi applied for the liquidation of Afro Voice, formerly The New Age newspaper.
In September, treasury accounting officer Jan Gilliland gave evidence showing that GCIS paid R260-million to Gupta-owned media companies between 2011 and 2018.
Gilliland told the commission that after tracking and tracing amounts paid to the two companies through treasury’s Basic Accounting System (BAS), he found that the amount was paid to a number of accounts under some variation of the names Infinity Media and TNA Media.
The BAS is a database in which government transactions are recorded.
Around R12-million was transferred to Infinity Media and R248-million to TNA Media.
Gilliland found that payments were made to 11 separate accounts under the names of the two companies.The evidence demonstrated there was a sharp increase in the amount paid to the Gupta-owned media entities between 2011 and 2013.
In 2011, R7-million was paid to these companies and in 2013, they received R30-million from GCIS.
The New Age newspaper was launched at the end of 2010 and ANN7, which was primarily controlled by Infinity Media Networks, was launched in 2013.
On Monday, Manyi presented a number of figures demonstrating the distribution of GCIS business with different media companies. According to the figures, in 2011 and 2012 the SABC was paid about R68-million by GCIS, AD24 (now Naspers) received R17-million, Avusa (now Tiso Blackstar) got R11-million, while TNA Media received only R8-million. He said TNA only received 4.5% of GCIS. He added that South Africa’s top media companies had captured government.
Manyi said the impression that TNA was “gobbling” government money is incorrect.
But Maleka put the figures provided by Manyi to the test, arguing that big media organisations like Naspers produce a number of publications, while TNA only produced one.
Pointing to the figures, Maleka indicated that City Press newspaper only received R199 000 of the R17-million received by Naspers.
Manyi argued that this is a bad example because City Press is a weekly newspaper, while The New Age was a daily publication. Maleka demonstrated in turn that The Daily Sun also received less money than The New Age.
On Tuesday, Manyi said no other witnesses appearing before the commission have had their evidence tested in this way. He added that Maleka’s “hostile” posture towards him would deter other witnesses from coming forward.
Zondo emphasised he wants all witnesses to feel that they have been treated fairly. That does not necessarily mean that they will always feel comfortable, he said. When the legal team asks questions, they are free to ask questions even if they are considered “difficult” in order to reveal the truth, Zondo added.
Maleka assured the commission that he is guided by professional ethics. But Manyi was unsatisfied with Maleka’s response, asking that he recuse himself.
Zondo explained that an application for recusal would be more complicated and that Manyi’s evidence would have to be postponed to allow him to prepare the application.
Manyi suggested that another member of the legal team simply take over from Maleka. Zondo agreed that, at a practical level, it may be better to forgo the application for recusal. But Maleka said this professional integrity had been questioned by Manyi and asked that he be given an opportunity to formally respond to this.
Proceedings were adjourned to allow the commission’s legal team to consult with its head, Paul Pretorius SC. After the adjournment, Pretorius announced that Manyi had changed his position on the recusal application.
Manyi confirmed this, saying that he does not want to frustrate the work of the commission.


The film will hit theaters in February with a PG-13 rating.
Clint Eastwood has won an appeal to overturn the R rating originally assigned to his upcoming film, The 15:17 to Paris. Instead, it will be rated PG-13.
The real-life drama recounts the much-publicized story about an attempted terror attack on a train from Brussels to Paris in 2015, which was thwarted by three former U.S. servicemen — played by the real-life heroes Anthony Sadler, Alek Skarlatos and Spencer Stone in the film.
According to a source, the R rating was given for the train attack scene at the center of the film, which the Classification and Rating Administration described as "a sequence of violence and bloody images."
The Classification and Rating Appeals Board says it reviews 800 to 900 films each year, with fewer than 12 ratings a year appealed.
Eastwood represented his own film on behalf of Warner Bros., which opens the film in theaters on Feb. 9.