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Joined: 21 Aug 2001
Posts: 3
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2001 7:13 pm
Post subject: Rock Star Premieres
Does anyone know when and where the premieres are in each city? Will there be one in New York?
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Joined: 22 Aug 2001
Posts: 1
Location: CA
Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2001 2:11 pm
Post subject:
Mark's gonna have a premier for Rock Star in either or both Los Angeles and New York. Also, there's a radio station here in my home town that's having a contest where Mark will personally call you to invite you to the premier!! I'm so psyched..I'm planning on gettin that hehe
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Joined: 12 Oct 2000
Posts: 422
Location: Toronto Canada
Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2001 3:46 pm
Post subject:
I know the premiere is Sept4 I thought in LA ...haven't heard anything about a NYC premiere date.
The Sep4 date is confirmed on Mark Shields website and the Rockstar site is sayng LA.
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sarah and mark 4ever
Joined: 27 Jul 2001
Posts: 279
Location: Renton,Washington,USA
Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2001 8:14 pm
Post subject:
QT where do you live?
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Joined: 24 Aug 2001
Posts: 2
Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2001 12:55 pm
Post subject:
so the date is confirmed sept 4 in los angeles? what website was this on? and do u know where exactly? i live near la and i want to go to the premiere to hopefully see him...reply back plz...thanx
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Joined: 12 Oct 2000
Posts: 422
Location: Toronto Canada
Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2001 2:15 pm
Post subject:
Sep4 is definately the date .. go to markshields.com (the administrator of this board) ..he's going.
I don't know that LA has been officially declared as the city ... use the search function upper right hand corner, key in Lianne (the other administrator) ..she posts all press releases.
Or .... contact Mark Shields directly (click on his name upper left) for theatre info (I assume he knows where he's going)
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Joined: 12 Oct 2000
Posts: 422
Location: Toronto Canada
Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2001 2:20 pm
Post subject:
oop..Applepie has a post about winning tx to the LA premiere..so I guess LA is official.
check out her link to the contest ..theatre info may be there
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M Factor
Joined: 05 Sep 2000
Posts: 1061
Location: Australia
Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2001 1:20 am
Post subject:
efactor was in chat yesterday and he told us that the premiere was 4 September in LA and 5 September in San Fran...
that should help you guys... he's taking his pc with him, so he'll be about in chat...
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Joined: 14 Jun 2000
Posts: 174
Location: Livermore,CA,USA
Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2001 10:31 am
Post subject:
A premiere in San Francisco...are you kidding?!!!!! Is that official and is Mark going to be there? Please let me know I would love to go!
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Joined: 12 Oct 1999
Posts: 1025
Location: Jersey Shore*
Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2001 10:30 am
Post subject:
you're kidding! san fran! nooooooo......i was just there 2 days ago. why couldnt the premiere be last week? hmm maybe I could tell my sister to go and get pics for me if Mark is there. lol
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Joined: 28 Jul 2001
Posts: 24
Location: New York obviously
Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2001 6:15 pm
Post subject:
i really dont think there will be a rock star premiere in NY. POTA was in NY, and i doubt ROCK STAR will be in NY. LUCKY L.A girls.hope you see him.
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Site Admin
Joined: 28 Jul 1999
Posts: 1723
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2001 7:17 pm
Post subject:
Here's the official word on the LA premiere. And just note Mark will be in NY for the MTV VMAs, so don't go pouting, you guys see him a million times there.
Wednesday August 29, 2:09 pm Eastern Time
Press Release
SOURCE: Warner Bros.
ADVISORY/Warner Bros. Announces ``Rock Star'' Premiere
WHAT: The premiere of "Rock Star," the story of wannabe rock star Chris Cole (WAHLBERG), who is plucked from obscurity and catapulted to fame when Steel Dragon, the rock band he worships, chooses him to replace their lead singer after seeing a videotape of Cole fronting his Steel Dragon tribute band.
WHO: From the film: Mark Wahlberg, Jennifer Aniston, Dominic West, Jason Bonham, Jeff Pilson, Zakk Wylde, Blas Elias, Brian Vander Ark, Dagmara Dominczyk, Stephan Jenkins, Rachel Hunter, Jamie White, Stephen Herek (Director), John Stockwell (Writer), Toby Jaffe (Producer), Robert Lawrence (Producer), George Clooney (Executive Producer), Steve Reuther (Executive Producer).
Other Celebrity Guests: Alice in Chains (Mike Inez), Beautiful Creatures (Joe Leste, DJ Ashba, Anthony Focx, Kenny Kweens, Glen Sobel), Brad Pitt, BusBoys (Brian O'Neal), Coal Chamber (Dez Farfara, Meegs, Mick Mars), Danzig (Glen Danzing), Def Leppard (Phil Collen, Rick Allen, Vivian Campbell), Dokken (Don Dokken), Everclear (Craig Montoya, Art Alexakis, Scott Cuthbert, Greg Eckland), Jessica Biel, LL Cool J, KISS (Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons), Korn (Fieldy, Head, Munky, Dave Silveria), LA Guns (Traci Guns), Limp Bizket (Fred Durst), Lit (A. Jay Poppoff, Jeremy Poppoff, Kevin Baldes, Allan S. Berger), Machine Head (Rob Flynn, Ahrue Luster, Adam Duce, Dave McClain), Virginia Madsen, Motley Crue (Nikki
Sixx, Mick Mars), Onesidezero (Jason Radford, Levon Sultanian, Brett Kane, Rob Basile, Christian Hernandez), Orgy (Jay Gordon, Ryan Shuck, Amir Derakh, Paige Haley, Bobby, Hewitt, Jeff Varner), Poison (Brett Michaels, CC Deville, Rikki Rocket), Powerman 5000 (Spider, Dorian Heartsong, Mike
Tempesta), Quiet Riot (Rudy Sarzo), Rob Zombie Band (Rob Zombie, Rob Nicholson, John Tempesta, Riggs), Seal, Slayer (Kerry King, Tom Araya, Jeff Henneman, Paul Bostaph), Static X (Wayne Static, Ken Jay, Tony Campos, Tripp Rex Eisen).
WHEN: Tuesday, September 4th
Arrivals - 7:00PM
Screening - 8:00PM
WHERE: Mann Village
961 Broxton Avenue
Your coverage of this event is invited
Press Credentials must be picked up outside the theater after 5:30p.m. on the day of the event. There will be no exceptions
"ROCK STAR" OPENS IN THEATERS NATIONWIDE SEPTEMBER 7th.
"ROCK STAR" is rated R by the MPAA.
Warner Bros.
Print/Broadcast: Brooke Ensign, 818/954-6705
Photo: Michael Taylor, 818/954-6585
Online: Brenda Falitz, 818/954-6676
International: Tricia Lewis, 818/954-6557
[This message has been edited by Lianne (edited August 29, 2001).]
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Joined: 12 Aug 2001
Posts: 32
Location: london uk
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2001 11:17 am
Post subject:
I interviewed Paul bostoph (see rock star list)
Hes a drummer from a band called Slayer hes a really nice bloke!!
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Site Admin
Joined: 28 Jul 1999
Posts: 1723
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2001 7:46 pm
Post subject:
Ok for the 99.9% who can't get to LA, you can see the premiere here
Sept 4th starting at 7:30pm PST/ 10:30 EST
Download Real Player or Windows Media if you don't have it (which is highly unlikely) or you're out of luck.
Also you can submit questions that the interviewer might use!
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Joined: 14 Jun 2000
Posts: 174
Location: Livermore,CA,USA
Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2001 11:00 am
Post subject:
Lianne, is Mark going to be there since the vma's are onthe 6th and the premiere is on the 4th...i want to go but of course only if mark is going to be there! Thanks!
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Social Events
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I just wanted to pass on some feedback re the driver that picked up and transported (VP, was UK MD) to London last night. Would it be possible to have him as his regular driver?Read more
Thank you for arranging the cars for my husband and myself, and for sending such a lovely driver.Read more
Many thanks another excellent trip. Excellent Service. We will use again.Read more
Very Happy!Read more
Many thanks for all your help and for accommodating the large numbers of changes with passengers and numbers etc. We will definitely be in touch again with regards to using your excellent service. Many thanks to you and your team for helping the logistics run smoothly.Read more
The feedback (regarding service) I have received has been positiveRead more
By way of feedback, we are extremely pleased with the switch and the way things are going, from the professionalism of the booking (politeness on the phone and also email confirmation returned to us following each booking) and also the promptness and politeness of your drivers. I shall of course…Read more
I would just like to say a huge thank you to the drivers from Saturday; they were prompt, reliable and very professional. I particularly liked the ribbons on the car and the nice touch at the end of the day. All in all they helped make a special day perfect…Read more
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Searching HAProxy Enterprise 2.0r1
Installing on Ubuntu 14.04 (Trusty)
Installing on Ubuntu 14.04 (Trusty)
HAProxy Enterprise is distributed through the Operating System package manager.
To install it, proceed as follows:
HAProxy Enterprise components include modules, scripts, tools, and optimized third party software.
Create the repository file
The repository file holds repositories for the load balancer, HAProxy Enterprise components, and 'extras'.
The components repository includes modules, scripts, tools, and optimized third party software.
The 'extras' repository includes components that are independent of HAProxy Enterprise versions.
The package
hapee-extras-routecontains the program
/opt/hapee-extras/bin/hapee-route-cli, which you can use to run "show protocols" and "show route"; it supports the normal BIRD socket commands.
Create a new repository description file in
The extension of the file must be list. IE: hapee.list
In the file
/etc/apt/sources.list.d/hapee.list, add the contents below to copy the repositories for the load balancer and HAProxy Enterprise components, and 'extras'.
deb [arch=amd64] https://www.haproxy.com/download/hapee/key/[YOURKEYHERE]-common/2.0r1/ubuntu-14.04/amd64/ trusty main deb [arch=amd64] https://www.haproxy.com/download/hapee/key/[YOURKEYHERE]-plus/2.0r1/ubuntu-14.04/amd64/ trusty main deb [arch=amd64] https://www.haproxy.com/download/hapee/key/[YOURKEYHERE]-plus/extras/ubuntu-14.04/amd64/ trusty main
Replace the tag [YOURKEYHERE] with the key you received from HAProxy.
Install HAProxy Enterprise, components, and 'extras'
About dependencies
When required,
apt resolves dependencies and automatically installs them.
Import HAProxy Technologies public key
The packages that HAProxy Technologies provides are signed. To install them, you first must import the public key:
curl -s -L https://www.haproxy.com/download/hapee/key/[YOURKEYHERE]-common/HAPEE-key-2.0r1.asc | apt-key add -
Enable HTTPS
To allow
aptto access repositories over HTTPS, run:
apt-get install apt-transport-https
Update the repository cache
apt-get updateto update the repository cache.
HAProxy Enterprise repositories are 64 bits only. In some cases, the operating system may not find i386 packages. If this happens, add
[arch=amd64]after the
debkeyword of your HAProxy Enterprise repository file.
Install the load balancer
To install the load balancer, run:
apt-get install hapee-2.0r1-lb
Output of a successful installation:
Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree Reading state information... Done The following extra packages will be installed: hapee-2.0r1-base openssl Suggested packages: ca-certificates The following NEW packages will be installed: hapee-2.0r1-base hapee-2.0r1-lb openssl 0 upgraded, 3 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded. [...]
Search for package names
To find packages related to HAProxy Enterprise 2.0r1, run:
apt-cache search hapee-2.0r1
To find packages related to HAProxy Enterprise 'extras', run:
apt-cache search hapee-extras
Output of successful search:
[...] hapee-2.0r1-base.noarch : HAPEE BASE : Common dependencies hapee-2.0r1-cli.x86_64 : HAPEE CLI : Command line interface for HAPEE LB (socat) hapee-2.0r1-cli-debuginfo.x86_64 : Debug information for package hapee-2.0r1-cli hapee-2.0r1-lb.x86_64 : HAPEE LB : Layer 7 load-balancing (HAProxy) hapee-2.0r1-lb-debuginfo.x86_64 : Debug information for package hapee-2.0r1-lb hapee-2.0r1-lb-dev.x86_64 : HAPEE LB : development files hapee-extras-vrrp.x86_64 : HAPEE VRRP : VRRP daemon (Keepalived). hapee-extras-vrrp-debuginfo.x86_64 : Debug information for package hapee-extras-vrrp
Locate destination directories
HAProxy Enterprise files are installed following these rules:
Binaries and documentation are in
/opt/hapee-2.0/ |-- bin |-- certs |-- doc |-- misc |-- misc |-- modules \`-- sbin
Configuration is installed in
/etc/hapee-2.0/ |-- hapee-lb.cfg |-- hapee-log.cfg |-- hapee-snmp.cfg \`-- hapee-vrrp.cfg
HAProxy Enterprise Extensions may also add some files here.
initscripts are installed in
/etc/init.d/ |-- hapee-2.0 |-- hapee-2.0-lb |-- hapee-extras-snmp-lb |-- hapee-extras-stktagg |-- hapee-extras-spoa-sso |-- hapee-extras-route |-- hapee-extras-rhi \`-- hapee-extras-vrrp
HAProxy Enterprise Extensions may also add some files here.
Enable services
To start HAProxy Enterprise, run:
service hapee-2.0 start
For more information on how to configure HAProxy Enterprise to start with your system, refer to the documentation related to init scripts administration.
After you complete the installation, you can configure HAProxy Enterprise using the instructions in the Configuration section from the left-hand menu bar.


text:
For Immediate Release
December 12, 2012
Contact: Trey Pollard, Sierra Club, (202) 495-3058
Sierra Club Statement on GAO Oil and Mining Report Findings
(Washington, DC) – This morning, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a new report – requested by Congressman Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) and Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) – revealing massive taxpayer losses related to the destructive extraction of fossil fuels and the mining of hard rock minerals from publicly held lands.
The report notes there is a huge discrepancy between the value of oil, gas, and coal removed from public lands and the amount actually paid in royalties by fossil fuel companies. In addition, the report finds there is a total lack of disclosure for the value of the gold, silver, uranium, and other resources mined from public lands by companies raking in billions of dollars in profits but paying nothing in royalties. That mining is still governed by a law signed into effect by President Ulysses S. Grant.
The full report is available here: http://1.usa.gov/UScbwM.
Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune Released the Following Statement in Response:
"This report provides an answer to anyone wondering why big polluters are so eager to get their hands on our public lands: big oil and mining companies get bargain basement deals to destroy the mountains, valleys, and rivers owned by everyone else while raking in billions in profits.
These big companies are the worst possible tenants American taxpayers could have, devastating the property they have been trusted with by sacrificing our lands and poisoning our water – and then getting rewarded for it.
Congressman Grijalva and Senator Udall have done American taxpayers a tremendous service by demanding transparency from the big oil and mining companies pillaging our public lands for their limitless profits. Now, it's time for Congress to act to not just ensure taxpayers get a square deal, but to protect the lands that belong to all of us from exploitation at the hands of just a few companies who deserve to be evicted."
# # #


text:
Posted by Steve Mermelstein at 4:22 pm
Copyright © 2013 usrbingeek, LLC - All rights reserved.
Use of this site signifies your agreement to the Terms of Service (Comment Policy and Chat Rules), Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Material Connection Disclosures
VTPhotoTours, VTPhotoTours.com, vtphotog, ImetSteve.com, "I met Steve," usrbingeek, and SteveMermelstein.com are trademarks of usrbingeek, LLC. All other trademarks and tradenames are property of their respective owners.


text:
Jan. 19, 2014
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (seminoles.com) – A season-best 3-point shooting barrage from Virginia allowed it to break past No. 17/18 Florida State women's basketball, defeating FSU 85-68, on Sunday afternoon at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, Va.
The Cavaliers (9-9, 2-3) connected on 10 3-pointers to create a 16-point halftime lead that the Seminoles (14-4, 2-3) could never recover from. When the `Noles tried to claw back in the second half, cutting their deficit to just above single-digits, UVA found ways to get big offensive rebounds and second-chance points to doom any chance of a comeback.
The loss for the `Noles puts them at a three-game losing streak and a four-game losing streak against Virginia. The Cavaliers were led by the first-half shooting of guard Faith Randolph, who scored 20 of her 26 points in the first half. For Florida State, sophomore Emiah Bingley gave FSU a major spark off the bench with a career-high 21 points, including five 3-pointers that is the most by a `Nole this season.
Randolph's 26 points scored was the most scored against FSU this season. UVA's 85 points scored were also the most scored against FSU this year. The Cavaliers took advantage of 26 points off what were a season-high 27 turnovers committed by Florida State, using its pressure defense and some trapping to defeat FSU.
FSU was outscored in the paint for just the fourth time this season, but senior Natasha Howard did her best with 15 points and eight rebounds. It was Howard's 14th game hitting 50 percent or better from the field as she shot 6-of-9. Freshman Kai James added 11 points off the bench, helping FSU outscore UVA 35-33.
The `Noles drained six second-half 3-pointers and had seven for the game, their second-most this season and their most since also having seven at Miami-Ohio on Dec. 1. Hurting FSU was generating just six steals and forcing only 10 turnovers, way below its season averages.
UVA's ninth 3-pointer of the game, this one from Breyana Mason, extended the Cavaliers' lead to 57-38 with 15:19 left, their largest lead at the time. FSU started off the second half cutting its deficit to 11 points with five consecutive points on a 3-pointer from Brittney Brown and a finish from Howard, but UVA countered with some hustle plays that led to second-chance points to help it to a 19-point lead.
Bingley had a couple good sequences where she buried some 3's, including her third that had FSU trailing 60-45 with 11:47 left. Bingley's second triple of the day gave her a career-high 10 points at the time, as her presence on the offensive end allowed Florida State to stay in the ballgame.
Bingley hit her fourth trey to help the `Noles cut the deficit to 69-55 with 7:57 remaining, with her fourth 3-ball tying Morgan Jones for a season-high by a Seminole this season. Jones helped FSU to a quick 8-2 run with a few free throws to keep the `Noles in the game.
UVA punctuated its day with another big hustle play, getting to a loose ball scrum on the ground and finishing with an old-fashioned three-point play by Tiffany Suarez to put the Hoos ahead 74-55 with 7:17 left in the game.
The first half was a rough one for the `Noles, trailing 47-31. It was FSU's most points allowed in the first half this season as well as their largest halftime deficit. The Cavaliers were consistent from beyond the arc and like NC State, worked the ball around fast enough to free up open shots. UVA shot a blistering 8-of-11 from 3-point range, led by Randolph's 20 points off the bench.
Howard led Florida State with 10 points at halftime on 4-of-4 shooting, and FSU shot 39 percent (11-of-28) while UVA was 18-of-38 overall. The Wahoos' pressure defense also forced FSU into 13 turnovers in the first half, including 10 halfway through, and they capitalized with 14 points off those turnovers. The `Noles outrebounded the Cavaliers, 22-15, in the first half, but the Wahoos got second chances in key moments including a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from the corner by Randolph to give FSU the 16-point deficit.
The Cavaliers were hot early from long range, going 4-of-6 through the first nine minutes of the game to take a 25-11 lead with 10:40 left in the first half. Florida State's Emiah Bingley tried to give the `Noles some quickness off the bench and get to the rim, aiding FSU with four early points. FSU hurt itself by committing nine quick turnovers that UVA converted into 12 points to start the game with a big lead.
Ivey Slaughter and Howard started to get after it defensively, drawing a few charges to leave Virginia with empty possessions. An offensive rebound and bucket by Brown cut the FSU deficit to 28-15 with 7:45 left in the first half, helping get past UVA's early 9-0 run to start the game.
Florida State returns home for a two-game stint starting with No. 3/3 Duke on Thursday, Jan. 23, at 7 p.m. FSU follows with another home matchup with Virginia Tech on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. Both games will be streamed on ESPN3.com and through the WatchESPN app.
For more information on Florida State women's basketball, follow the Seminoles on Twitter at @FSU_WBasketball and like their official Facebook page (Facebook.com/FSUWomensBasketball).


text:
- 1 1/2 pounds assorted bell peppers (about 3 large), cut into 1 1/2-inch-wide strips
- 1 1/2 pounds assorted summer squash, cut lengthwise into 1/3-inch-thick slices
- 1 medium-size red onion, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
- 1 12- to 14-ounce loaf of ciabatta*, some crust trimmed to expose bread, cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1
- 1 pound tomatoes, cored, cut into 3/4-inch dice, juices reserved
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped assorted fresh herbs (such as chives, dill, chervil, and tarragon)
- 2 tablespoons drained capers
Recipe Preparation
For Salad
Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Brush both sides of bell peppers, squash, onion, and bread slices lightly with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill vegetables until tender and brown, about 4 minutes per side for peppers and squash and 3 minutes per side for onion. Grill bread until browned and crisp, turning occasionally, about 4 minutes. Cool slightly. Rub bread with cut sides of garlic. Tear bread into 3/4-inch pieces; place in very large bowl. Cut grilled vegetables into 1-inch pieces; add to bread in bowl.
For dresssing
Whisk first 3 ingredients in small bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in 1/3 cup oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.
Add dressing, tomatoes with juices, and all remaining ingredients to salad; toss. Let stand 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.


text:
First Look: 2012 Volkswagen Jetta GLI
For the past couple decades, when Volkswagen releases a new Jetta sedan, it means a performance-themed GLI version won't be too far behind. But with the sixth-generation Jetta getting bigger and softer for the U.S., inquiring minds want to know if the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta GLI, which is debuting at the 2011 Chicago auto show, will get softer as well.
There's certainly nothing soft about the Jetta GLI's motivation, courtesy of VW's stellar turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four that pumps out 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque, and can be mated to a six-speed manual or VW's quick-shifting, six-speed DSG that features steering wheel mounted paddle shifters and rev-matched downshifts.
While there are no official EPA ratings yet, Volkswagen expects the GLI's highway mileage to be 31 mpg for the manual and 32 mpg on the automatic. For reference, a 2011 GTI hatch weighs some 29 pounds less than the 2011 Jetta SEL with the 2.5-liter inline-five and is rated at 24/33 mpg city/highway; chances are VW's estimates for the GLI will be spot on.
Separating the GLI from lesser Jettas is not left to the turbocharged engine alone. Carried over from the European-spec Jetta, the GLI receives four-way independent rear suspension instead of the twist beam suspension setup found elsewhere in the Jetta's U.S. lineup. We suspect the Euro-tuned suspension will up the fun-to-drive quotient in VW's more potent compact sedan. VW's XDS cross differential system also makes an appearance on the GLI. The technology helps prevent inside wheel spin during cornering, just as it does on the GTI.
Distinguishing the GLI from the rest of the lineup are 17- or 18-inch wheels, smoked taillight lenses, a revised front bumper with larger air intake, and a honeycomb grille outlined in bright trim. Four-wheel disc brakes with floating red calipers are also part of the package. Inside, the GLI has everything you'd expect from a hotter version of the Jetta: sport bucket seats and a flat-bottom steering wheel, both with red stitching. A 6.5-inch touchscreen display is standard, as is Bluetooth, iPod connectivity, and auto up/down power on all four side windows.
The price tag for the 2012 Jetta GLI starts at $24,265 (including destination) and bumping up to the $26,315 GLI Autobahn nets heated leather seats, 18-inch wheels, and a Fender sound system. Navigation and keyless, push-button start can be added onto the Autobahn package, bringing the MSRP to $27,215.
Of course, we'll have to drive it to see if it's become mushy, but with the 2.0-liter turbo and independent rear suspension, we're confident it will represent the spirit of the GLI name.


text:
Now is as good a time as any to reconnect with you on the sandwagon. I ran my first marathon on April 6. It was the Paris Marathon and I've been mulling over how to report it ever since.
The race started and finished in sight of the Arc de Triomphe. In between I covered 26.2 miles of cobbles, ran along the River Seine, up, down and through eerie traffic underpasses, saluted the Eiffel Tower and saw the Pyramid at the Louvre for the first time. African drumming bands stood out among the entertainment laid on by the race organisers. They were upbeat, positive and full of life.
Fire fighters cheered and supporters waved flags, pom poms, hand-painted banners and danced. Wigs, hot pants, rock bands and dog walkers featured. Elsewhere unimpressed faces looking blankly out of restaurants at the stream of heavy joggers in the latter stages of the route.
The Arc de Triumphe gives me goosebumps. Always has and still does. Thick-set and overwhelming in comparison to delicate Parisian wrought iron that dances over balconies and up lampposts. Lining up for the marathon on the Champs Elysees, the marble Arc dwarfed me and did not bid me bonne chance.
Fighting through the wall at mile 25 and rounding the bend out of the Bois de Boulogne to tackle the final yards, there was the Arc. It was aloof and said: 'you're just passing through'. 5 hours and 2 minutes later.
Crowds lined the final stages. There was genuine passion in the shouts of allez. Maybe it was fatigue, but the French language never sounded as foreign as it did in those final few minutes. Cobbles, an unknown towering monument and the Arc up ahead, beyond a packed finishers' enclosure. It was over and without fanfare or fuss I collected my medal. Months of training in the making and revelations about running. Success! One 10 euro beer and a metro ride home to our backpacker hostel close to Canal St Martin.
Next year I'll finish faster and the Arc with applaud.
Room: Peace & Love Hostel for a comfortable bed, no frills, good value hospitality and access to the kitchen at 6 am to make porridge, peanut butter on baguette and black coffee.
Food & Drink: Chez Papa (Metro: Louis Blanc), champagne at Chez Prune (Canal St Martin), Point Ephemere, Pasta party at PastaPapa (Metro: Opéra) and more.
Flights: BA and Air France from London Heathrow.
Sightseeing: Shakespeare and Company book store and various landmarks for 26.2 miles around Paris including Notre Dame, Lourve, Bastille, Place de La Concorde and Eiffel Tower.
Read more!


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66 football fans were killed in a stairway crush at a Rangers vs. Celtic match, Rolls-Royce went bankrupt, the UK and Ireland moved over to decimal currency (and we still miss pounds and shillings!) and Disney land opens its doors in Orlando, Florida.
George Harrison: My Sweet Lord
T Rex: Hot Love
Rod Stewart: Reason to Believe/ Maggie May
We were watching the original Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, Stanley Kubrick's excentric A Clockwork Orange and animated musical fantasy Bedknobs and Broomsticks.
The legengary comedy sketch show The Two Ronnies debuts on the telly box, as well as Upstairs, Downstairs and The Old Grey Whistle test.


text: These braces and supports are ideal for treating arthritis and arthritis related pain. Arthritis supports will normally have warming properties which helps relieve pain. They are also made from compression materials to prevent inflammation of the joint. Some arthritis supports have stabilising splints and hinges which reduce the load on a joint, helping you get back to being active. Also, see our range of hot and cold therapy treatments for arthritic pain relief.


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During these times, we try to do what we can by making monetary donations, dropping off supplies to shelters, inviting people into our homes, traveling to areas that need help with clean up and more. These efforts are so important for our state to recover from this unprecedented storm damage.
In an effort to provide a way for kids to help, I created a project called,
"Shells for NJ Shores" . It is an art project in which teachers and students everywhere are invited to participate to help Sandy victims. The idea is that students can create and sell "shell-themed" art, make a donation to the organization of their choice and track our progress online so we can see how our heart-work is making a difference.
To learn more about Shells for NJ Shores, click here or on the image above:
Please pass this along to anyone you think may want to give their children a chance to assist in the recover and rebuilding efforts in New Jersey.
To all of my students and B.A. parents, I hope you are doing well and have had your power restored. I hope school will be open for us all soon.


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Fresh news
Millennials and boomers: Pandemic pain, by the generation
For baby boomers, named for the post-World War II surge of births, that means those who are retired or are nearing retirement are seeing their 401(k) accounts and IRAs looking unreliable while their health is at high risk. Millennials, who became young adults in this century, are getting socked again just as they were beginning to recover after what a Census researcher found were the Great Recession's hardest hits to jobs and pay. "The long-lasting effects of the Great Recession on millennials, that was kind of scarring," said Gray Kimbrough, a millennial and an economist at American University in Washington.
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 16:37:19 GMT
UK unveils post-Brexit border plans and ad campaign
Britain on Monday launched another Brexit advertising blitz and unveiled its first detailed proposals for managing the country's borders after cutting ties with the European Union. The campaign, aimed at future travellers to the bloc, businesses that trade with it, and EU citizens living in the UK, features adverts on television, radio and online. The drive -- "The UK's new start: let's get going" -- follows similar publicity efforts last year before Britain formally ended its EU membership on January 31.
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 16:37:03 GMT
New Jersey woman survives mile-long ride through storm drain
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 16:17:00 GMT
Judge seeks more details on Trump's clemency for Roger Stone
A federal judge on Monday demanded more information about President Donald Trump's decision to commute the prison sentence of longtime ally Roger Stone. U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered that the parties provide her by Tuesday with a copy of the executive order that commuted Stone's sentence. Trump commuted Stone's 40-month prison sentence on Friday evening, just days before he was to report to prison.
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 16:16:15 GMT
Brexit: Get ready because this time it's for real
A new government document on preparing for Brexit presents a daunting checklist for business.
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 16:05:06 GMT
International appeal for calm in Mali after protest deaths
Mali's worried allies and neighbours have appealed for restraint and dialogue as the country's deepening political crisis spirals into bloodshed. The situation remained tense on Monday, after three days of unrest in the capital Bamako, as gunfire was heard in an opposition stronghold in the city. Representatives of the United Nations, the European Union, the African Union and West African bloc ECOWAS late Sunday voiced their concern over the recent clashes.
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 15:39:37 GMT
Coronavirus: Infections rising amid economic downturn in Africa
Countries have taken different routes in lifting restrictions - and some are reinstating them.
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 15:34:14 GMT
Mobile roaming: What will happen to charges after Brexit?
Will Britons be able to use their mobile phones in Europe after Brexit transition without paying extra?
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 15:20:23 GMT
Nelson Mandela's daughter Zindzi dies at 59
The youngest daughter of South Africa's first black president dies in Johannesburg.
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 15:10:44 GMT
UN: Pandemic could push tens of millions into chronic hunger
The United Nations says the ranks of the world's hungry grew by 10 million last year and warns that the coronavirus pandemic could push as many as 130 million more people into chronic hunger this year. The grim assessment was contained in the latest edition of the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, an annual report released Monday by the five U.N. agencies that produced it. The U.N. agencies estimated that nearly 690 million people, or nearly 9% of the world's population, went hungry last year, an increase of 10 million since 2018 and of nearly 60 million since 2014.
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 14:50:51 GMT
Sudanese forces break up protest camp in Darfur, killing 1
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 14:43:34 GMT
World hunger worsening as coronavirus weighs and obesity rises: UN
Nearly one in nine people in the world are going hungry, with the coronavirus pandemic exacerbating already worsening trends this year, according to a United Nations report published Monday. Economic slowdowns and climate-related shocks are pushing more people into hunger, while nutritious foods remain too expensive for many, contributing not only to undernourishment, but to growing rates of obesity in adults and children. "After decades of long decline, the number of people suffering from hunger has been slowly increasing since 2014," said the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World annual report.
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 14:37:24 GMT
Time to make masks mandatory? It's not just a US debate
Amid pervasive backsliding on social distancing, Britain and France are weighing whether to require people to wear masks in public places. Scientists say the two countries' governments should have done so ever since they started easing lockdowns — like many other European nations did – instead of exposing their populations to the risk of infections from mass dance parties and summer vacationers who think there's no longer anything to worry about. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged U.K. residents Monday to wear face coverings in shops and other tight indoor spaces — but stopped short of making it compulsory.
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 14:34:13 GMT
Court refuses to order Houston to host Texas GOP gathering
The Texas Supreme Court on Monday upheld Houston's refusal to allow the state Republican convention to hold in-person events in the city due to the coronavirus pandemic. The court dismissed an appeal of a state district judge's denial of a temporary restraining order sought by the state Republican Party. Shortly after the ruling, GOP leaders said they would call a meeting of the party's executive committee to "finalize our path forward."
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 14:20:05 GMT
Strong demand for virus testing services; snacking surges
The outbreak of the coronavirus has dealt a shock to the global economy with unprecedented speed. — Two vaccine candidates from Pfizer and BioNTech being developed to help protect against the virus that causes COVID-19 have received fast track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The designation was granted based on preliminary data from early-state studies that are currently ongoing in the U.S. and Germany as well as animal immunogenicity studies.
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 14:15:23 GMT
Coronavirus: South Africans divided over second alcohol ban
While some back the government restrictions others say citizens are being blamed for state failures.
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 13:56:55 GMT
How Russia Built a Channel to the Taliban, Once an Enemy
KABUL, Afghanistan -- During one of the most violent stretches of fighting in northern Afghanistan, as the Taliban scored victories that had eluded them since the beginning of the conflict, the top U.S. commander went public with a suspicion that had nagged for years: Russia was aiding the insurgents.In diplomatic circles in Kabul around the time of that accusation, in 2017, there were murmurs that the Russian assistance had included night-vision goggles and armor-piercing ammunition.But Gen. John W. Nicholson, the commander, offered no definitive evidence, and that spoke to how confusing the battlefield had become as three longtime adversaries -- the Taliban, Russia and Iran -- agreed on their common interest in seeing the Americans leave Afghanistan. In the maze of corruption, cash and foreign hands in Afghanistan, it was no easy task to pin down who was doing what."We've had weapons brought to this headquarters and given to us by Afghan leaders and said, 'This was given by the Russians to the Taliban,'" Nicholson said a year later. "We know that the Russians are involved."The recent revelation of an American intelligence assessment that Russia had provided the Taliban with bounties to attack U.S. and coalition troops stunned political leaders in Washington and added a potent dose of Cold War-style skulduggery to deliberations over Afghanistan's future. Both Russia and the Taliban have rejected the assertion.But while that would be a notable escalation of Russian interference in Afghanistan, it was clear to many officials that Russia had been working to hedge its bets with the Taliban for years. The Russians saw the Afghan government as entirely controlled by the United States, and at worst so fragile that it would struggle to survive the U.S. withdrawal.In interviews, Afghan and U.S. officials and foreign diplomats with years of experience in Kabul say that what began as a diplomatic channel between Russia and the Taliban just under a decade ago has more recently blossomed into a mutually beneficial alliance that has allowed the Kremlin to reassert its influence in the region.The shift coincided with increasing hostility between the U.S. and Russia over Syria's civil war and other conflicts, analysts say, as well as Russia's frustration with rising instability in Afghanistan and the slow pace of the U.S. pullout.Now, the U.S. is conducting the troop withdrawal it agreed to with the Taliban even without a final peace deal between the insurgents and the Afghan government which the U.S. has supported for years. But Russia's covert efforts, officials and analysts say, are aimed at harassing and embarrassing the U.S. as the troops leave rather than profoundly changing the course of the conflict."It was in modest quantities; it was not designed to be a game changer on the battlefield," Nicholson, who has since retired from the military, told the House Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday about Russian arms and aid to the Taliban. "For example, the Taliban wanted surface-to-air missiles, the Russians didn't give it to them. So I always concluded that their support to the Taliban was calibrated in some sense."Some pointed out the considerably more extensive U.S. efforts to support the mujahedeen insurgency against the Soviet Union in the 1980s."We did the same," said Marc Polymeropoulos, a former CIA field officer in Afghanistan who retired last year as the agency's acting chief of operations in Europe and Eurasia. "We turned the heat up as the Russians were leaving Afghanistan.""Putin," he said, "is a student of history."As things began turning on the battlefield in recent years, officials described increasing suspicions of a greater Russian role in helping the Taliban. But they often struggled to pin down specifics, other than occasional influxes of new weapons and munitions that could have had several sources. In addition to Pakistan's well-established support to the Taliban, Iran was taking a greater hand in helping the insurgents, and often using similar channels as the Russians, Afghan intelligence officials say.The dots began connecting more clearly during a stretch of alarming violence in northern Afghanistan, when the Taliban twice overran Kunduz city, a provincial capital, in 2015 and 2016, sending the U.S. military scrambling.As Afghan intelligence narrowed in on the ambitious regional Taliban commander behind those assaults, they tracked his travel back and forth across the nearby border with Tajikistan, a Russian intelligence stronghold, according to current and former senior Afghan security officials. Kunduz is also the base of operations for two Afghan businessmen who U.S. intelligence officials say acted as middlemen in the bounty scheme between Russian intelligence officers and Taliban fighters.U.S. officials say they confronted Russia about its aid to the Taliban on several occasions, but their public claims lacked detail, and it never amounted to a major issue. Russian officials said they received no documented evidence.Three decades after the Soviet military withdrawal from Afghanistan, Russia's cultural, economic and personal ties in the country remain deep. When Russia has looked to exert influence, whether benign or otherwise, it has had a host of friends to call on: Soviet-trained generals who led the Afghan forces for years on American pay; businessmen who bragged of friendship with President Vladimir Putin of Russia; politicians who kept homes in Moscow even as they grew rich on U.S. contracts.For much of the first decade of the war, the U.S. did not really have to worry about the deep Russian reach into Afghan society, as Putin's government was aligned with the U.S. mission of defeating al-Qaida and Islamist groups that Moscow also saw as a threat -- including the Taliban.Diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks show genuine attempts by both sides to coordinate efforts in Afghanistan. Russian officials spoke of a "collective fist" in the fight against terrorism, and urged unity "with one voice -- the American voice."But as the war in Afghanistan dragged on, and the two powers took opposing sides in the crises in Syria and Ukraine, the Russians increasingly saw the U.S. mission as failed, and the American presence in the region as a threat.U.S. intelligence officials now date Russia's discreet outreach to the Taliban as beginning about eight years ago -- around the time that Putin, after a four-year hiatus as prime minister, reassumed the presidency with a more confrontational posture with the West.The mistrust soon became intense enough that Russian officials accused the U.S. of playing a hand in the rise of an Islamic State group chapter in Afghanistan around 2015, with many of its earliest fighters being extremist militants from Central Asia who yearned to bring a holy war against Russia.At a meeting of the Russian Security Council in 2013, Putin said his country could no longer stand by in the face of failures by the U.S. and its partners."We need a clear action strategy, which will take into account different possible developments," Putin said at the meeting. "The task is to reliably protect the interests of Russia under any circumstances."Leading the portfolio on the diplomatic front was Zamir Kabulov, a veteran of the Soviet war in Afghanistan and reportedly a former Russian intelligence operative.Kabulov began publicly criticizing the U.S. for weaknesses in the Afghan government and for failing to rein in Islamist militancy there -- and increasingly describing the Afghan Taliban as a national entity that posed no threat beyond the country's borders and could be worked with.Reports increased about Taliban figures making trips to Russia. And just as the U.S. and Taliban were finalizing details of the U.S. withdrawal, Russia brought the same Taliban leaders into Moscow meetings with a large number of Afghan political figures for discussions over the political future of the country.As the U.S. has drawn down its military presence, it has increasingly relied on Afghan partners for intelligence and counterintelligence. What Afghan security officials were seeing in recent years, particularly in the north, was a deeply messy reality.Around the time they began focusing more on Russian activities, the Afghans also unraveled an Iranian scheme of distributing arms to discontented warlords and militia commanders -- the weapons were Russian, and the route was through Tajikistan, officials said. The Iranian scheme was short-lived, one senior Afghan official said, after Iran realized the weapons it was providing were turning up in the saturated black market.The Russians often used the hundreds of millions of dollars in fuel imports for NATO and Afghan forces as a way to inject cash into Afghanistan to ensure influence and keep intelligence assets on their side. One former senior Afghan official said that instead of direct cash transfers, the Russians would mostly arrange for the convoys of oil tankers snaking into Afghanistan to be topped with extra fuel that would be cached for circulation inside the country.Though the countries of Central Asia gained their independence after the Soviet collapse, Russia has never let go of its foothold in the region. In one cable, a Russian diplomat described the borders of countries like Tajikistan, where the Russian air force still has about 7,000 troops, as "an extension of its own border."When the Taliban were in power in Afghanistan in 1990s, Tajikistan was a hub for the resistance commanders who received aid from Russia and Iran. In the 20 years since the U.S. invasion, the country has become a center of criminal traffic and of vice, a kind of adult playground for many of the Afghan elite who frequently travel back and forth to Tajikistan and often have family there.In that mix of spies, money and mafia, the Taliban, too, found a foothold. The insurgents made a point of taking and maintaining control of some of the border crossings from Kunduz province into Tajikistan. From the south of the country all the way to the north, they had border access to evade military pressure, maintain ties with friendly foreigners and keep a channel for the opium trade that partly finances the insurgency.Several Afghan officials, including Asadullah Omarkhel, who was the governor of Kunduz at the time, said they shared with the Americans intelligence that Mullah Abdul Salam, the Taliban commander who led the assaults on Kunduz, repeatedly crossed into Tajikistan for what they suspected were discussions with Russian agents. A Tajik news outlet reported meetings between Russian officials and Taliban commanders at a Russian air base in Tajikistan as early as 2015. And it was these border crossings that the Taliban used to bring weapons in, officials say.Omarkhel said Americans initially were not confident about claims of Taliban ties to Russia, but then they started striking the Taliban bases along the border, including a strike that killed Salam.At Thursday's congressional hearing, Nicholson repeated his accusation of Russia arming the Taliban, noting that even though the aid was not extensive, it still had an effect."In the northern part of Afghanistan, in particular in Kunduz, the Russian assistance did help the Taliban inflict higher casualties on the Afghan security forces and more hardship on the Afghan people," he said.This article originally appeared in The New York Times.(C) 2020 The New York Times Company
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 12:02:43 GMT
57 injured in fire aboard ship at Naval Base San Diego
Firefighters were still battling a blaze Monday on a Navy combat ship that injured at least 57 people and sent smoke billowing over San Diego. The fire began Sunday morning aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard, apparently in a vehicle storage area as the ship was in a berth undergoing maintenance, according to Rear Adm. Philip Sobeck. Firefighters attacked the flames inside the ship while firefighting vessels with water cannons directed streams of seawater into the ship and helicopters made water drops.
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 11:52:48 GMT
Romance scam: US woman freed after year as hostage in Nigeria
The 46-year-old woman from Washington DC was held for more than a year and lost ,000, police say.
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 11:46:52 GMT
Iran says virus death toll tops 13,000
Iran reported on Monday more than 200 new coronavirus fatalities that took the overall toll in the Middle East's deadliest outbreak beyond 13,000. "Unfortunately, in the past 24 hours, we have lost 203 of our compatriots due to the COVID-19 disease," said health ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari. Lari said another 2,349 people had tested positive for the virus, raising the overall figure in the country's outbreak to 259,652.
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 11:36:56 GMT
In Egypt, volunteers make meals with love for virus patients
The effort took off in early June after Basma Mostafa, a 30-year-old journalist, wrote on Facebook that she was thinking of cooking nutritious meals for patients. Today, about 1,500 volunteers take part in the program, and thousands more have asked to join, Mostafa said. After one volunteer wrote, "made with love," it has become a favorite slogan.
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 11:03:49 GMT
Doctors and nurses to get fast-track entry to UK under new immigration system
Doctors and nurses from overseas will be eligible for fast-track entry to the UK and exempt from paying an NHS health surcharge under a new visa scheme set out by the Home Office on Monday. Under the new Health and Care visa, those eligible will also pay less in application fees and will be able to access "dedicated support" in filling out their forms. The exemptions will also apply to their families and dependents, according to the written ministerial statement. The list of professions eligible include doctors, nurses, midwives and social workers, although the document acknowledges that this will be expanded in the near future. However, in a move likely to provoke a backlash among some MPs, Downing Street confirmed that social care workers would not be able to take advantage of the new NHS visa. Speaking to reporters this morning, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "We want employers to invest more in training and development for care workers in this country. "On care workers specifically, our independent migration advisers have said that immigration is not the sole answer here, which is why we have provided councils with an additional £1.5 billion of funding for social care in 2021/22, as well as launching a new recruitment campaign." Existing European Union workers in the care sector could apply to stay in the UK through the settlement scheme "and a very large number have done so", he added. The visa will form part of the "Skilled Worker" route in the post-Brexit points-based immigration system, which will require EU and non-EU migrants to gain 70 points to be allowed to come to the UK. Fifty of those points have to be gained by having a job offer from an approved employer, speaking English and from the prospective job being at the skill level of A-level or above. The remaining 20 points can come from a variety of categories, where skills or qualifications can be "traded" for points to meet the required 70. Jobs in key sectors like the NHS and social care, designated by the Government's Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), will also entitle applicants to a further "tradeable" 20 points.
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 11:00:39 GMT
Russian prosecutors charge three sisters with murdering their abusive father
In a 'stunning' reversal in one of the country's most notorious cases, Russian prosecutors have brought charges of premeditated murder against three Moscow teenage sisters for killing their abusive father, their defence team said on Monday. The decision was greeted with shock after the same prosecutor Viktor Grin asked investigators in December to drop the murder charges, arguing that the sisters acted in self-defence. Krestina, Angelina and Maria stabbed their 57-year old father Mikhail Khachaturyan in July 2018 after enduring years of intimidation, beatings and sexual abuse. The sisters' case became a cause celebre among campaigners against domestic violence, triggering public discussion about family and relationships in modern Russia. "This is a stunning standpoint," Alexei Parshin, defence lawyer for Angelina Khachaturyan, told the Telegraph, referring to the prosecutors' decision to back the same indictment they dismissed a few months earlier. "It shows that the state is willing to protect a rapist more than his victims." The girls were "prepared" for this decision, according to Parshin, who said that as victims of long-lasting abuse they believe that "the hell they're going through right now is much better than what they were subjected to before." To Mari Davtyan, who often represents victims of domestic violence in court, the prosecutors' surprise decision spells a worrying trend of cracking down on human rights that appears to have taken hold after Vladimir Putin won the vote earlier this month to extend his rule. "It's impossible not to notice what's been happening on a daily basis since 1 July, 2020," she said on Facebook, referring to the preceding week of arrests and police raids. "The state has chosen its trend. The Khachaturyan sisters' case is not an exception."
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 10:11:21 GMT
China sanctions Cruz, Rubio, Smith, Brownback for criticism
China said Monday it will impose sanctions on three U.S. lawmakers and one ambassador in response to similar actions taken by the U.S. last week against Chinese officials over alleged human rights abuses against Muslims in the Xinjiang region. U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, Rep. Chris Smith and Ambassador for Religious Freedom Sam Brownback were targeted, as was the Congressional-Executive Commission on China. The four have been critical of the ruling Communist Party's policies toward minority groups and people of faith.
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 09:18:55 GMT
Russia to push back deadline for 0 bln spending on national projects to 2030
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 09:11:38 GMT
In Moscow's Afghan Bazaar, Searching for a Bagman Who Pays Bounties for Dead Americans
MOSCOW—If you ask where to find almost anyone in Moscow's Afghan community, you'll be told to come here, to the Hotel Sevastopol. Probably you will be told it has 16 floors, which seems important to the direction givers. Much of the hotel has been turned into a market, a sort of Afghan bazaar where men with tired eyes above their COVID-19 masks crowd into the elevators carrying plastic shopping bags full of fragrant Indian spices, semi-precious stones, and cheap leather goods.Russian neighbors of the Hotel Sevastopol complain bitterly about drugs being sold in the depths of this maze of hallways and rooms converted into tiny shops. Not unlike Afghanistan itself, they say, the market is a complete mess. But the Afghans seem to have enough clout with Moscow's city government to keep business going. Always, new men are showing up to have a kebab and share the latest news. Lately, talk turned to a certain Rahmatullah Azizi. He was identified by The New York Times at the beginning of this month as a middleman U.S. and Afghan security services believe paid bounties to the Taliban and criminal gangs in Afghanistan to kill American and other coalition soldiers. A unit of the Russian military intelligence, known as the GRU, allegedly was behind the operation.Both the U.S. and Afghan security services have been investigating the bounty scheme for months, raiding homes and offices and arresting at least a dozen suspects. According to the report, Azizi accumulated considerable wealth, with expensive cars and private bodyguards. A raid on one of his homes in Afghanistan several months ago turned up half a million dollars in cash. But Azizi was believed to have fled to Russia.Here in the Sevastopol Hotel, however, it appears nobody ever heard of Rahmatullah Azizi. He certainly hadn't shown up here, people said.A tall young Afghan man, who offered just one name, Sam, was selling lapis lazuli necklaces on the 16th floor. "An Azizi worked here before me," he said. "But he wasn't Rahmatullah." Ali, in a small jewelry shop, said his uncle had a pharmacy in Kabul and knew "everybody," but not Rahmatullah Azizi. He never heard of any such Azizi. The answers kept coming back the same: Essentially, "Rahmatullah who?"The bazaaris might not have met that Azizi, they said, but they knew what the story of this particular business meant: "Another conflict between Russia and the United States on Afghan land would be a catastrophe for our people," says Sherkhasan Hasan, formerly a practicing physician, who now runs a small business here selling toys. BLACK TULIPSThe Afghan diaspora in Russia counts about 20,000 in Moscow, and as many as 100,000 around the country. Its leaders, mostly Russian-educated during the decade of Russian occupation and dominance there, play an important role in political negotiations between Moscow and leaders on both sides of the Afghan conflict in which the United States became so deeply embroiled over the last 20 years. Today, Russian attitudes toward Afghanistan are complicated, and even the Kremlin does not articulate any clear strategy. The Soviet war in Afghanistan took the lives of more than 14,000 Soviet soldiers and triggered the fall of the USSR—that is how many in Russia remember this bloody chapter of their country's modern history. The word Afghanistan is associated with what became known as "Black Tulips," the Antonov cargo airplanes carrying dead soldiers home. In recent years, there has been a lot of concern about the drug traffic. Afghan opium smuggled across Central Asia makes its way to every Russian region. Thousands of drug addicts die in Russia every year. Stamping out the drug trade, which is partly run through the diaspora, seemed for a time an opening for cooperation between the United States and Russia in Afghanistan. The cooperation ended after the U.S. economic sanctions on Russia were in 2014 following the annexation of Crimea. Russian Bounties for Killing Americans Go Back Five Years, Ex-Taliban ClaimsIn 2008, three of Vladimir Putin's close allies decided it was time to re-engage on Afghanistan. They were the head of the FSB Federal Security Service, Nikolai Patrushev; the deputy prime minister, Igor Sechin; and director of the drug-control agency, and an old friend of Putin's from the KGB years, Victor Ivanov. Ivanov's aide, Yuriy Krupnov, traveled to Afghanistan in 2008 and 2009 to invite Afghan politicians and Pashto leaders to a high-level forum in Moscow. "By then Afghanistan was sick of American occupation and remembered Russians fondly as sheravi, which means Soviet people," Krupnov told The Daily Beast. THE OPENING Patrushev, Sechin, and Ivanov on the Russian side and Afghan Vice President Karim Khalili opened the forum at another Moscow hotel—the upscale President Hotel—in May 2009 to sign some business agreements, appeal to the Russian government for bank credits, restore 142 Soviet-built industrial sites, and announce support for some educational programs. Bridges were being built. At the forum, an old friend of Moscow, the nephew of Afghanistan's last king, Abdul Ali Seraj, declared, "We don't want the American model." In the fractured political landscape of Afghanistan, Moscow realized, Pashto leaders were once again reasserting their influence, and not just as the Taliban. "This is all wrong to say 'Taliban claims this or that,'" Krupnov said. "There are dozens of various Taliban groups among about 60 tribes, who each have their own ancient culture and history." Russia planned to work on what it saw as this deeper, older level of Afghan power structures. Two months after the forum, in July 2009, President Barack Obama visited Moscow to help launch the so-called reset of the U.S.-Russia relations. In the years to come, Victor Ivanov on the Russian side and Gil Kerlikowske, director of the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy, would lead a joint anti-drug group and organize about 15 joint anti-narcotics operations in Afghanistan. The U.S. national security adviser at the time, Gen. James L. Jones, addressed Nikolay Patrushev, as his "friend and counterpart" in fighting organized crime and terrorism in the country. As a correspondent for Newsweek, I interviewed Ivanov multiple times in 2010 and in 2011. He spoke about the huge volumes of drugs coming into Russia and financing terrorism in the North Caucasus. "A kilo of heroin," he noted, "is worth 0,000 on the street in Russia and a Kalashnikov costs ,000 on the Afghan market."Ivanov traveled to Kabul in 2010. On the plane with some members of the press, Russia's drug tsar drank Champagne and toasted his return to Afghanistan, two decades after he last was there during the war with Soviet army. Krupnov says he believes that Ivanov's activity—trips to China, to Afghanistan, and Russian drug-fighting centers in Central America—annoyed Washington. The Obama administration's special envoy for the region, the late Richard C. Holbrooke, said poppy eradication had alienated poor farmers and was driving people into the hands of the Taliban. "Washington's special representative to Afghanistan, Richard Holbrooke, told Viktor Ivanov to keep his hands off Afghanistan during their meeting at the State Department," Krupnov says, citing that as a turning point in the relationships. Holbrooke died in 2010, and cooperation continued, but without the commitment that existed before. The last joint operation was in 2012, and meetings ended in 2014. ASSASSINS? REALLY?Today Krupnov denies outreach to the Afghans a decade ago was the beginning of an anti-American campaign in the Middle East and South Asia, or that the Kremlin, brushed off so many times, was offended and seeking revenge in some fashion, much less paying Taliban to kill U.S. and coalition soldiers—which is something that many are perfectly willing to do on their own. "It would be ridiculous to imagine that any Russians in Afghanistan—there are about 300 Russian nationals there and thousands of U.S. military and private forces—would hire assassins to kill American soldiers." (The element of the GRU cited by the Times as instrumental in the alleged bounty operation, Unit 29155, also has been blamed for destabilization operations in Europe and the attempted murder in Britain of former GRU officer Sergei Skripal.)In any case, outreach to the Taliban has continued. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov received a Talib leader, Sher Mohammed Abas, last year along with a group of other Taliban authorities to discuss the joint fight against the Islamic State terror group. The idea that Russia and the United States make a great team against ISIS is one that U.S. President Donald Trump has promoted for years. At the Helsinki summit with Putin in 2018, for instance, Trump noted his appreciation for Russian help against "the scourge of radical Islamic terrorism.""Both Russia and the United States have suffered horrific terrorist attacks," Trump said. "We have agreed to maintain open communication between our security agencies to protect our citizens from this global menace." That was the same summit where Trump said he doubted U.S. intelligence about Russian interference in the 2016 elections that made him president.Meanwhile, the Russian foreign ministry has eagerly pointed out that the Trump White House, too, is questioning intelligence on Russian bounties for the deaths of American soldiers. But the sense Russia is inching back into Afghanistan, again in conflict with the United States, is not lost on those who know this relationship well. "I don't like the idea of some bearded Taliban leaders, who previously tried to drag us back a thousand years, all of a sudden becoming legitimate," Hasan said of Russia's negotiations with the group. "It would be a big mistake to help people who everybody considered terrorists."Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 08:55:21 GMT
Israeli police break up anti-Netanyahu protest in Jerusalem
Israeli police and Jerusalem municipal officials scuffled with protesters demonstrating against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday as officers dismantled tents set up by the demonstrator's outside the premier's residence. The demonstrators have staged a sit-in outside Netanyahu's official residence in Jerusalem for the past month, calling on him to resign while facing corruption charges.
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 08:52:44 GMT
Families of Italy's virus dead seek answers, solace, justice
It started out as way for grief-struck families to mourn their coronavirus dead online: a Facebook group where relatives who were denied a funeral because of Italy's stringent lockdowns could share photos, memories and sorrow that their loved ones had died all alone. Members of the Noi Denunceremo (We Will Denounce) Facebook group and an affiliated non-profit committee filed some 100 new cases Monday with Bergamo prosecutors investigating the outbreak, on top of 50 complaints lodged last month. Wearing a face mask with the group's logo outside the tribunal Monday, We Will Denounce co-founder Stefano Fusco said the complaints don't accuse anyone specifically of wrongdoing.
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 07:51:50 GMT
Millennials and boomers: Pandemic pain, by the generation
For baby boomers, named for the post-World War II surge of births, that means those who are retired or are nearing retirement are seeing their 401(k) accounts and IRAs looking unreliable while their health is at high risk. Millennials, who became young adults in this century, are getting socked again just as they were beginning to recover after what a Census researcher found were the Great Recession's hardest hits to jobs and pay. "The long-lasting effects of the Great Recession on millennials, that was kind of scarring," said Gray Kimbrough, a millennial and an economist at American University in Washington.
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 07:01:53 GMT
Iran's Hard-Liners Give President Rouhani a Hard Time
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 06:55:34 GMT
Accusations of serial assault spark new #MeToo wave in Egypt
Their accounts are similar. The girls and women describe meeting the young man — a former student at Egypt's most elite university — in person and online, followed by deceit, then escalating sexual harassment, assault, blackmail or rape. It's resulted in a new #MeToo firestorm on social media, and the arrest of the suspect last week from his home in a gated community outside Cairo.
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 06:29:43 GMT
Russian constitution change ends hopes for same-sex marriage
At the Lagutenko wedding in 2017, the couple exchanged vows, rings and kisses in front of friends and relatives, then took a traditional drive in a limousine, stopping at landmarks for photos. If Irina and Anastasia Lagutenko had any hopes they could someday officially be married in their homeland, the possibility vanished on July 1 when voters approved a package of constitutional amendments, one of them stipulating that marriage is only between a man and a woman. Unlike many LGBT people in Russia who keep low profiles because of pervasive enmity against nontraditional sexuality, they live openly as a same-sex couple with a 21-month-old boy, named Dorian, who was born to Irina.
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 06:29:08 GMT
Sabotage in Iran Is Preferable to a Deal With Iran
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- Whoever wins the U.S. presidency in November, there is a good chance he will try to negotiate a stronger nuclear deal with Iran in 2021. But events of the last few weeks show that there are better ways to frustrate the regime's nuclear ambitions.Both President Donald Trump and his Democratic rival, Joe Biden, favor talking with Iran. "I would rejoin the agreement and use our renewed commitment to diplomacy to work with our allies to strengthen and extend it," Biden told the New York Times last winter. Trump, meanwhile, was on Twitter last month urging Iran to "make the Big deal."The logic of a deal goes like this: Except for war, the only sustainable way to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons is to reach an agreement with its leaders. That has been the basic assumption underlying U.S. nuclear policy on Iran for the last 20 years. With the right mix of carrots and sticks, the thinking goes, Iran will negotiate away a potential nuclear weapon.But a nuclear deal with Iran would have to rely on a partnership with a regime that oppresses its citizens, preys on its neighbors, supports terrorism on three continents and has shown contempt for international law. And the alternative to a deal is not necessarily a costly and dangerous war. The West can delay and foil Iran's nuclear ambitions by other means.Since late June, explosions have rocked at least three Iranian military facilities. The latest appears to have targeted an underground research facility for chemical weapons. Earlier this month, a building at Iran's Natanz centrifuge site burst into flames.Much remains unknown about this latest spate of explosions. A relatively new group calling itself "Homeland Panthers" has claimed credit for the attack on Natanz. Iranian officials have blamed it on Israel. David Albright, the former nuclear inspector and founder of the Institute for Science and International Security, told me his organization — which has studied satellite imagery of the facility before and after the explosion — cannot rule out that it was an accident. But "it looks more like a deliberate act," he said.There are several good reasons to think all of this was an act of Israeli sabotage. To start, the Israelis have done this kind of thing before. In the early 2010s, Israel's Mossad conducted a series of assassinations of Iranian nuclear scientists. Before that, Israel and the U.S. cooperated on a cyberattack on Natanz that sped up its centrifuges, causing them to break down.More recently, Israeli spies broke into a Tehran warehouse and stole a technical archive of Iran's nuclear program, demonstrating that they have "human networks that have penetrated Iran's security structure," said David Wurmser, a national security expert who most recently worked as an adviser to the National Security Council.Whoever is responsible for the attack — and to be clear, the Iranians say they are prepared to retaliate against Israel, though they have yet to do so — the damage at Natanz alone has significantly set back Iran's nuclear program. The facility there was an assembly center for more advanced and efficient centrifuges, which Iran was allowed to produce under the flawed 2015 deal. "This was a crown jewel of their program," Albright said.And the damage may be to more than just the centrifuges — it could also destabilize the Iranian regime itself. "The more Iran's government looks impotent, and the impression is left the Israelis are everywhere, the more high-level Iranian officials will calibrate their survival by cooperating with Americans or Israelis, which itself creates an intelligence bonanza," Wurmser said.The attacks could also undermine the regime's legitimacy among the Iranian public more generally. Sabotage of this sort shows that Iran's leaders are not nearly as powerful and all-knowing as they say.At the very least, the fact that someone was able to explode a "crown jewel" of Iran's nuclear program should make clear that the civilized world can delay Iran's nuclear ambitions without conferring legitimacy to the regime.This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.Eli Lake is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering national security and foreign policy. He was the senior national security correspondent for the Daily Beast and covered national security and intelligence for the Washington Times, the New York Sun and UPI.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinionSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 06:00:14 GMT
Detained Chinese professor who criticised Chinese President Xi Jinping is freed
A Chinese academic who penned an essay blaming the coronavirus pandemic on President Xi Jinping's authoritarianism and censorship has been released after nearly a week in detention, his friends have told AFP. Xu Zhangrun, a law professor at Beijing's prestigious Tsinghua University, was taken from his home in the capital by a group of more than 20 people on July 6, according to associates. He returned home on Sunday and was well, two friends confirmed to AFP on Sunday, speaking on condition of anonymity. In an essay published on overseas websites, Xu had written that the leadership system under Xi - China's most powerful leader since Mao Zedong - was "destroying the structure of governance". He said the lack of openness contributed to the outbreak of the coronavirus, which first appeared in China late last year and eventually spread globally after Communist Party officials tried to suppress initial news of the contagion. It was not immediately clear whether he would face further repercussions. Beijing police did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday.
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 05:04:18 GMT
Politics latest news: We are not 'slamming the gates' in points-based immigration system, Boris Johnson says
Coronavirus latest news: Boris Johnson to decide on compulsory face masks in shops 'in next few days' Doctors and nurses to get fast-track entry to UK under new immigration system Tim Stanley: Face masks don't build confidence, they destroy it Local lockdowns running at a hundred per week, Matt Hancock reveals Passport warning as transition period ends Subscribe to The Telegraph, free for one month The UK's new points-based immigration is not about "slamming the gates" shut, Boris Johnson has said, promising there will be enough recruits for the social care sector. Speaking as the Government unveiled the details of the country's post-Brexit system, the Prime Minister said the UK will have a "humane and sensible" immigration system despite "taking back control" after Brexit. Asked if he thinks there will be enough people coming in to work in the social care system, the Prime Minister told reporters: "I do... We're seeing huge numbers of people registering for their right to remain and that's great so we have a big, big stock of workers who are helping out in this country who have come from abroad." Mr Johnson added: "Although of course we are going to be taking back control and we are controlling our immigration system we're not going to be simply slamming the gates and stopping anybody anywhere coming into this country." His comments come amid confusion over whether social care workers will be given a special route to working the UK as part of a new NHS visa. The points-based system announced today gives eligible frontline workers receive fast-track entry with reduced application fees. In a written ministerial statement, Priti Patel said: "We will be introducing a new-fast track health and care visa. This will make it easier and quicker for talented global health professionals to work in our brilliant NHS and in eligible occupations in the social care sector. " However, Number 10 has since said that social care workers will not be included. Read more below.
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 04:44:07 GMT
Ready or not: Election costs soar in prep for virus voting
"Election officials don't have nearly the resources to make the preparations and changes they need to make to run an election in a pandemic," said Wendy Weiser, head of the Brennan Center for Justice's democracy program. "I'm prepared not only to look at more money for the states to use as they see fit for elections this year but also to even consider whatever kind of matching requirement we have," said Roy Blunt, R-Mo., chairman of the Senate panel with responsibility for the issue.
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 04:32:45 GMT
Activists seek to decriminalize 'magic' mushrooms in DC
The posters started blanketing light posts just a few weeks after the city entered what would be a monthslong stay-at-home order. Vividly colored and bearing a three-headed mushroom, they asked Washingtonians to "reform laws for plant and fungi medicines" by making natural psychedelics "the lowest level police enforcement priority." It was the start of an underdog campaign that just managed a truly improbable political feat: a successful grassroots petition drive conducted entirely under pandemic lockdown conditions.
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 04:06:11 GMT
Judge blocks federal executions; administration appeals
A U.S. district judge on Monday ordered a new delay in federal executions, hours before the first lethal injection was scheduled to be carried out at a federal prison in Indiana. The Trump administration immediately appealed to a higher court, asking that the executions move forward. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan said there are still legal issues to resolve and that "the public is not served by short-circuiting legitimate judicial process."
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 04:02:23 GMT
Coronavirus: South Africa bans alcohol sales again to combat Covid-19
It is one of several restrictions introduced by President Ramaphosa amid rising infection rates.
Sun, 12 Jul 2020 23:49:43 GMT
China Is Winning the Trillion-Dollar 5G War
Sun, 12 Jul 2020 22:00:17 GMT
'Let's get going': UK tells businesses to prepare for Brexit crunch
Britain is urging businesses and individuals to prepare for the Dec. 31 end of the Brexit transition period with an information campaign titled: "The UK's new start: let's get going." Britain left the European Union on Jan. 31, three and a half years after a referendum, but a transition period has delayed any major change in the relationship. Cabinet Minister Michael Gove said on Sunday progress was being made in talks but there were still divisions.
Sun, 12 Jul 2020 21:42:20 GMT
'Let's get going': UK tells businesses to prepare for Brexit crunch
Sun, 12 Jul 2020 21:30:00 GMT
'Against the refugees': Aid groups condemn U.N. decision to limit Syrian aid crossings
The United Nations Security Council on Saturday adopted a resolution that leaves only one of two border crossings open for aid deliveries from Turkey into Syria. "The veto is against us," Mustafa Alkaser told NBC News from a refugee camp in Syria's northwestern Idlib province. "It's against the refugees, against the free Syrians who once stood up against Bashar al-Assad and demanded their freedom and dignity," he said Sunday in a telephone interview.
Sun, 12 Jul 2020 18:44:55 GMT
Appeals court: 1st federal execution in 17 years can proceed
A federal appeals court ruled Sunday that the first federal execution in nearly two decades may proceed as scheduled on Monday. The ruling from the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturns a lower court order that had put the execution of 47-year-old Daniel Lewis Lee on hold. Lee, of Yukon, Oklahoma, had been scheduled to die by lethal injection on Monday at a federal prison in Indiana.
Sun, 12 Jul 2020 18:42:46 GMT
Britons whose passports expire in next year should apply for new one now to prepare for post-Brexit travel
Millions of Britons whose passports are due to expire in the next year are being urged to apply for a new one now, as part of a stepping up of efforts to prepare for the end of the Brexit transition period. Holidaymakers travelling to popular European destinations from Jan 1 will be required to have six months validity on their travel documents, which is likely to cause a stampede of renewals at UK passport offices. It's estimated that some five million UK citizens have passports which are valid for less than a year, meaning they should act now in order to travel in the new year. Those who do not renew in time will "not be able to travel to most EU countries" as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. It comes as the Government today (Mon) launches a new £93 million public information campaign "The UK's new start: let's get going" to help Britons prepare for life outside the EU. Adverts will be launched across television, radio and online, with key information also relayed by text message. One such change means that those planning to go abroad with pets in January will need to act by September to ensure they are able travel.
Sun, 12 Jul 2020 18:18:14 GMT
21 injured in fire aboard ship at Naval Base San Diego
Twenty-one people suffered minor injuries in an explosion and fire Sunday on board a ship at Naval Base San Diego, military officials said. The blaze was reported shortly before 9 a.m. on USS Bonhomme Richard, said Mike Raney, a spokesman for Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet. Rear Adm. Philip Sobeck, commander of Expeditionary Strike Group 3, told the San Diego Union-Tribune that the Navy thinks the fire began somewhere in a lower cargo hold where marine equipment and vehicles are stored.
Sun, 12 Jul 2020 18:14:58 GMT
Protests in Israel and record death toll in Iran as coronavirus cases surge across Middle East
Benjamin Netanyahu has promised to provide financial support for Israelis who lost their livelihoods due to lockdown after more 80,000 people protested his government's economic response to the coronavirus over the weekend. Tens of thousands of protesters gathered in Tel Aviv on Saturday to voice their frustration with Mr Netanyahu, who won praise for his early response to the outbreak but has come under criticism amid a severe fresh outbreak in cases. Mr Netanyahu did not acknowledge the Tel Aviv protest ahead of his weekly cabinet meeting, but promised that financial help was on the way, starting with cash handouts of up to 7,500 shekels (£1,700) to the self-employed. "This support, this grant, is not dependent on legislation and we have instructed that it be put into effect today. The button will be pressed and the money will reach accounts in the coming days," he said. Unemployment surged to a record 20 per cent in Israel after the economy was shut down to help tackle the coronavirus, while some business owners complained they did not receive enough financial support from the government and as a result could still go bankrupt. According to Israeli media reports, at least six per cent of the Israeli population has caught coronavirus but the true proportion could be much higher. The infection rate currently stands at around 1,000 cases per day, far higher than the previous peak of 700 in March. Israeli officials are said to be considering a second lockdown if the number of daily cases exceeds 2,000 this week. It came as coronavirus infections surged across the Middle East and the economic damage caused by the pandemic began to become clear. Iraq, Lebanon and Iran are also struggling with severe economic crises and record infection rates, with Iran reporting 221 deaths in just 24 hours, marking a new record death roll.
Sun, 12 Jul 2020 17:56:39 GMT
Mali opposition rejects President Keïta's concessions amid unrest
Opposition leaders reject President Keïta's "nonsense" concessions as political unrest grows.
Sun, 12 Jul 2020 17:39:40 GMT
Michael Gove rules out compulsory masks in shops - but Downing Street says policy could still change
Face masks should not be made mandatory in shops, Michael Gove has said, despite Downing Street's insistence the policy is still under review and could be introduced. Mr Gove warned against introducing a "binary divide" by making masks obligatory in public, stressing that face masks are "significantly less important outdoors...than indoors". People should be allowed to use their own judgement to decide whether a mask is appropriate in different situations, he said, warning that some people could think they are invincible while wearing a mask. "I think people are intelligent, I think people can understand that this is a novel virus with specific challenges," he told Sky's Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme. "I think it's quite right to treat people with the respect that their intelligence and judgment deserves." "It mustn't be the case that anyone thinks that wearing a face mask would make you invulnerable." Mr Gove said the masks should be worn out of consideration for others, even if they are not made mandatory. But Downing Street said the option to make masks compulsory was still on the table, suggesting the Prime Minister may think it will soon become necessary to force people to wear them. The risk of transmission of the virus indoors is reduced between people who are wearing face coverings, evidence suggests. "It is something which is under review and if the decision to make it mandatory is taken that will be announced in due course," a No10 source said. Speaking in a Facebook video on Friday, Boris Johnson suggested the Government had plans to increase the proportion of people wearing masks in public. "We are looking at ways of making sure that people really do have face coverings in shops," he said. "The balance of scientific opinion seems to have shifted more in favour of them than it was, and we're very keen to follow that". "We need to be stricter in insisting that people wear face coverings in confined spaces where they are meeting people they don't usually meet." Face coverings have been compulsory in shops in Scotland since July 10. The masks are also compulsory on trains, buses and the London Underground, but the British Transport Police said it preferred to enforce the rules by "engaging with the public and explain the reasons why the protections are necessary and a lawful requirement". Fines have been issued to repeat offenders and some arrests have been made, a spokeswoman said. The Labour Party signalled its support for masks to become compulsory in shops, but not in bars and restaurants, which it said would be impractical. Lucy Powell, a shadow business minister, accused the Government of "showing a bit of leg" by suggesting it would enforce face mask guidelines, but not announcing any change of policy. "We do need to get a lot more confidence back in the system and if the mandatory wearing of face masks in shops will help to do that then we absolutely support it," she said. "We think the Government - instead of just showing a bit of leg occasionally on these things by briefing newspapers or saying things that are not clear guidance in press conferences as the Prime Minister did on Friday - [should] get some clarity. "That's really something that would get confidence back into the system and get people feeling that they can go to the shops, they can go to restaurants and go to bars." On Saturday, Mr Johnson was pictured wearing a mask during a visit to a pub and barber in his constituency. The Prime Minister chose to wear a light blue cloth mask that matched his party's branding. It was the first time Mr Johnson has been photographed wearing a mask, following concern that Government ministers were discouraging mask usage by not wearing them in public. Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor, was criticised for not wearing one while serving food at Wagamama in a photo opportunity following last week's budget announcement, while Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, did not cover his face while being photographed at a Brewdog pub. Donald Trump, the US President, was pictured in a face mask on an official visit for the first time over the weekend, while Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, has been seen wearing a Government-branded face covering.
Sun, 12 Jul 2020 17:39:18 GMT
Maryland governor says GOP needs 'bigger tent' after Trump
A Republican governor rumored to be eyeing a run for the White House in 2024 said Sunday that the GOP needs to be a "bigger tent party" after President Donald Trump leaves office. Maryland's Larry Hogan, who has been known to break with Trump, told NBC's "Meet the Press" that he doesn't "know what the future holds in November." "But I know that the Republican Party is going to be looking at what happens after President Trump and whether that's in four months or four years," Hogan said.
Sun, 12 Jul 2020 17:26:06 GMT
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