The Humboldt Broncos hockey club says a team will be ready to hit the ice in time for the 2018-19 Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League season.The club says in a news release that it’s recruiting a head coach and general manager to replace Darcy Haugan.Haugan was one of 16 people killed on April 6 when the team’s bus and a semi-trailer collided in rural Saskatchewan.It’s unclear whether any of the 13 players injured in the crash will play.The team says 80 prospective players will be asked to an invite-only camp from May 25 to May 27 in Saskatoon.The Broncos say season tickets will also go on sale soon.They say they will make every effort to ensure current season-ticket holders get first right of refusal on their seats.
Humboldt Broncos to return to the ice for 201819 season
October 17, 2019
OTTAWA — The Liberal government says it will increase Canadian funding for women’s health worldwide to $1.4 billion every year starting in 2023, with half of this money dedicated to sexual- and reproductive-health rights.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the funding commitment in Vancouver today at a major global conference on gender equality.He says Canada will step up and invest in respecting women’s rights while other countries are stepping back and playing politics with the issue.Trudeau has been vocal in criticizing what he called a “backsliding” on women’s rights in some American states that are severely restricting or outright banning abortion.Currently, Canada spends $1.1 billion on women’s health services worldwide, with $400 million dedicated to sexual and reproductive health.Trudeau says Canada will gradually increase the total amount to reach $1.4 billion by 2023, with $700 million of this money spent on ensuring women have access to safe abortions and reproductive-health services worldwide.The Canadian Press
Starkey Hearing Foundation wrapped up their second mission to the Philippines last week with help from legendary singer-songwriter, Sir Elton John and David Furnish.Elton John, David Furnish and Starkey Hearing Foundation founders Bill and Tani Austin help a young man hear during the Foundation’s mission in ManilaJohn and Furnish joined the Foundation in Manila and helped fit more than 400 hearing aids to children and adults in need, allowing many to hear for the first time in their lives.In 2004 and 2009, John was the headlining performer at the Foundation’s annual So The World May Hear Awards Gala, and he and Furnish have supported Starkey Hearing Foundation’s work for several years since then. This was their first opportunity personally participate in a mission and give the gift of hearing.“We are working to create peace and understanding around the world through the gift of hearing, and it is not possible without all the efforts of our friends and partners,” said Bill Austin, Founder of Starkey Hearing Foundation. “We are so honored to have the support of Sir Elton John and David Furnish and that they would take the time to help us deliver this precious gift.”Starkey Hearing Foundation was also in the Philippines last December, delivering the gift of hearing to nearly 1,400 people in Manila, Bohol and Cebu with help from professional boxer, Manny Pacquiao and Los Angeles Galaxy soccer player, Landon Donovan. The Foundation plans to return in March 2013 to fit approximately 7,500 hearing aids in Manila, Batangas and General Santos.This Philippines mission was the conclusion of a major mission circuit for Starkey Hearing Foundation. The team visited 13 additional cities in five countries—Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia and India—and distributed more than 24,000 hearing aids over six weeks.Starkey Hearing Foundation conducts approximately 70 missions each year, both domestically and internationally. Hearing missions are the primary way the Foundation realizes its goal – So the World May Hear. Starkey Hearing Foundation continues to fulfill its Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) commitment to provide more than 100,000 hearing aids to people in need each year and more than one million this decade.According to Starkey Hearing Foundation, hearing loss is pervasive, affecting 34 million Americans – or one in 10. Yet, with the help of a hearing device, hearing loss can often be corrected in a majority cases, giving an individual the opportunity to better connect with their family, the community and the world around them.Source:PR Newswire
“They gave us a pretty clear direction to proceed with the optimized three-lane. They gave us a little bit of permission to explore some slight variations to that.”According to Barrs, the optimized three-lane concept will feature two travel lanes with one turning lane in the middle of the street. In the winter, the turning lane will serve as a storage space for snow.
The Optimized Three-Lane Concept. Photo by Scott BrooksBarrs says this concept will accommodate the traffic volume that travels on 100 Street in a narrower cross-section.The concept does not include designated bike lanes but will feature wide sidewalks.The Project Team has divided 100 Street into five precincts which will then determine the characteristics throughout each block in the downtown core. For more information, you can visit letstalk.fortstjohn.ca. FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – The City of Fort St. John held the third public session of the 100 Street Design Charrette on Thursday at the North Peace Cultural Centre.Earlier in the day, the Project Team presented the Alternative Concepts to City Council for direction before choosing a Preferred Concept.MODUS Planning Professional Planner, Rob Barrs, says Council directed the Team to proceed with the Optimized Three-Lane Concept, adding that Council gave them some permission to explore variations within the concept.
The construction of each precinct will gradually be completed in phases, starting at 96 Avenue and eventually finishing at 105 Avenue.The Precincts include:The South Gate WayThe Green WayThe Heart (100 and 100)High StreetThe North GatewayOn Friday, Barrs says there will be no public sessions as the Team will be taking that time to produce the Final Plan based on the Preferred Concept.The Final Plan will then be presented to the public on Saturday, June 15, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the North Peace Cultural Centre.
Islamabad: Pakistan’s seriousness to act against proscribed terror outfits and its efforts to curb money laundering and terror financing were questioned by members of a regional affiliate of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) at a meeting held in China, according to a media report. A 10-member delegation, led by Finance Secretary Mohammad Younas Dagha, attended the two-day meeting of the Asia-Pacific Group (APG) of the Paris-based FATF in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou where it defended Pakistan’s efforts against money laundering and terror financing. Also Read – Saudi Crown Prince Salman ‘snubbed’ Pak PM Imran, recalled his private jet from US: ReportAccording to a Dawn report, some participants, particularly those from India, raised very tough questions about Pakistan’s seriousness to act against proscribed organisations and effectiveness of internal controls. On May 3, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said India will ask the FATF to put Pakistan on a blacklist of countries that fail to meet international standards in stopping financial crime. The APG will submit to the FATF its analysis of the compliance report submitted by Pakistan at the meeting, which concluded yesterday, and the progress made since the group’s on-site inspection in Islamabad and Karachi in March, the report said. Also Read – Iraq military admits ‘excessive force’ used in deadly protestsThe APG report will become the basis for the FATF to decide whether to exclude Pakistan from its grey list or not. The delegation briefed the meeting about Pakistan’s updated actions against currency smuggling, proscribed organisations and tightening of financial and corporate sector systems and operational effectiveness, the report said. Giving examples of the measures taken by it, Pakistan cited arrests of key operatives of some proscribed outfits, putting more such groups and their affiliates in the list of banned outfits, blocking their accounts and financial flows and taking control of their assets. In March, bowing down to international pressure, Pakistan launched a major crackdown on Jaish-e-Mohammad, Jamat-ud-Dawa, Falah-i-Insaniyat Foundation and other banned outfits and took over the control of their assets throughout the country. The Pakistan delegation said the country was very close to accomplish the milestones set under the FATF action plan well before the September deadline. It also said the government recently revised its national risk assessment of the corporate sector, strengthened customs procedures on borders and inland movement of funds and assets. Besides, internal control of the banking and non-banking financial institutions, insurance companies and stock exchanges has been strengthened to curb the possibility of money laundering and terror financing. The delegation cited the creation of a specialised directorate of Cross-Border Currency Movement (CBCM) in Islamabad to maintain a database of currency seizures. The APG had earlier flashed contradictory situations and poor coordination among stakeholders, including law enforcement agencies, in fighting money laundering and terror financing in Pakistan. Last month, it expressed serious reservations over insufficient physical actions on ground against proscribed organisa tions to block flow of funds and activities.
Caterpillar recently completed assembly of the 5000th Cat® 793 Mining Truck. Caterpillar data show that the milestone production figure far exceeds the manufacture of any other brand of 250 ton (227 t) size class truck. In production since 1991, truck number 5,000 represents the fifth generation of the 793.“The 793 Mining Truck is the core of Cat surface mining vehicles,” Jean Savage, Caterpillar Vice President with responsibility for the Surface Mining & Technology Division, said during a ceremony at the Decatur, Illinois, USA manufacturing facility. “The 793 has been an integral part of making Caterpillar the leading supplier of surface mining equipment. I thank the assembly team as well as those who developed the truck and those who support the trucks working in mines around the world.”“The success of the 793 supports our belief that it is the most productive and cost-effective mining truck in a wide range of applications,” said Sudhanshu Singh, Global Product Manager, Large Mining Trucks. “The 793’s success is a direct result of collaboration with customers, Cat dealers and cross functional teams within the Caterpillar organisation—who have worked to optimise the performance of Cat trucks in a wide range of applications. Our very first 793 truck, placed in service 27 years ago, is still in service delivering best-in-class cost per ton.”The 5000th 793 truck will be delivered to a mining customer in Australia. The largest populations of 793s are operating in Australia, North America and South America where the trucks work to mine iron ore, copper, coal, gold and other minerals. The 793 has built a strong reputation for durability. One of the longest-running 793s was built in 1992 and has accumulated 173,000 operating hours—nearly 20 years equivalent— as it works in a mine in the United States.The most recent generation, the 793F, has been the truck of choice for autonomous operation. More than 100 793F trucks are now operating via Command for hauling, the Cat autonomous truck operations system, which is a part of Cat MineStar™. Most of the autonomous trucks are operating in iron ore mines in Western Australia, though Cat autonomous truck fleets are growing in South America and North America. Interest in autonomous haulage continues to grow, because Cat autonomous trucks have delivered productivity increases of more than 20% while improving safety and reducing costs. Cat autonomous trucks have hauled more than 800 million tons (700 Mt) since the first such trucks started working about four years ago.
“I did not hear this expression. If it was said then of course this is unacceptable,” Putin told foreign news agency journalists in Saint Petersburg. “I think he himself understands that. He is an educated man…This is unroyal behaviour.”Russia had earlier this week lodged a furious protest with after Prince Charles reportedly made the comparison.The Russian deputy ambassador to London went to the Foreign Office for urgent talks following the reported remarks by the heir to the throne during a trip to Canada.Charles made the apparently unguarded comment, which drew a parallel between Hitler and Putin’s actions in Ukraine, during a private conversation with a Polish-born woman on a trip to a museum.“If these words were really said, then undoubtedly they are not worthy of a future British monarch,” foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said in Moscow.“We have requested an official explanation from British authorities over the statements.”The Russian embassy in London issued a separate statement saying deputy ambassador Alexander Kramarenko would raise the “outrageous remarks made by Prince Charles in Canada” in his meeting on Thursday.The Prince’s office, Clarence House, declined to comment on the Russian reaction but it said on Wednesday that Charles ”would not seek to make a public political statement during a private conversation.”The comments by Charles to the Polish woman, who had fled the Nazis as a child, were reported by the Daily Mail on Wednesday.“I had finished showing him the exhibit and talked with him about my own family background and how I came to Canada,” 78-year-old Marienne Ferguson told the newspaper.“The prince then said: ‘And now Putin is doing just about the same as Hitler’.”AFP © – 2014Read: Putin threatened with “consequences” if election fails to go ahead >Pics: “Hello comrades!” – Putin celebrates Russia’s victory over Nazism by visiting Crimea > RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR Putin says that remarks attributed to Britain’s Prince Charles comparing his actions to those of Adolf Hitler were unacceptable and not worthy of royalty.
After his mother died, Kaloku Holt considered just packing it in. Many of the organizers of the Ke Kukui Foundation were in favor of taking a break of at least a year from staging their big annual Polynesian festival in Esther Short Park, he said.That’s an annual tradition launched 17 years ago by Holt’s mother, the late “Aunty” Deva Yamashiro, a Hawaiian native and hula dancer who moved here and appointed herself a cultural ambassador. She wanted to make sure her children, and everybody’s children, could continue learning and enjoying Hawaii’s unique aloha spirit here on the mainland.But after Yamashiro died of cancer almost two years ago, her son wondered whether to continue that mission. Holt’s a full-time musician who’s accustomed to traveling, not staying put. But he’d also just started a family with his girlfriend in Hawaii, Alyssa Reyes, and the couple knew real roots were in order. Nothing would have been easier than simply settling down in Hawaii, they said.What changed their minds? They watched Yamashiro cuddling her new grandson, Oku, for a few precious months before she died, Holt said. “I saw in that hospital bed the whole circle of life, one leaving and one just arriving,” he said. “It just woke me up to what my mom knew the whole time.“It’s just not about me anymore. It’s about him. It’s about everybody. It hit me that my purpose in life is to keep building what my mom built. To make it even greater.”
Fulham Football Club player Andre Schurrle has revealed that scoring his first goal for the club is an amazing moment.The former Chelsea winger was on target for the Cottagers this weekend, scoring the club’s fourth goal during their impressive victory over Burnley on Sunday afternoon.Schurrle is currently on a two-year loan deal from Borussia Dortmund and the Germany international is keen to rekindle his career after a very difficult 24-month spell in the Bundesliga.A beaming Schürrle shared his delight with FulhamFCTV, as quoted by HammyEnd, after the final whistle: “It was a great atmosphere and it was a really good feeling on the pitch. I really enjoyed every minute because you could feel like everyone was coming, everyone was going – the crowd wanted us to be together, fight and score the goals and that’s what we did.”“Today was amazing and for our new players it was so important, you can’t even believe.”
Official: Tottenham sign Fulham youngster Ryan Sessegnon Andrew Smyth – August 8, 2019 Tottenham have sealed another transfer deadline day deal to sign the highly-rated Ryan Sessegnon from Fulham.“We could have scored more, especially me. I think I had 45 shots today! Normally in a Premier League you don’t have so many shots and so many big chances, so that’s what we have to get together.”“Maybe we have to score a few more goals, but we’re happy with four today and the win.”The winger was delighted to get off the mark for the Whites, especially after seeing a number of his earlier efforts well saved by Joe Hart.“When I scored the goal, it was very important for me. It was one of the greatest moments in my career and to be on this pitch and in front of these fans, because they were all chanting [my name] before, I wanted to give them something back and when the ball went in and I could feel this joy, it was an amazing moment.”
Tags Porsche Taycan on ice in Sweden Porsche Volkswagen Now playing: Watch this: Post a comment Share your voice Enlarge ImageWe’ve already taken the Taycan drifting on ice in Sweden. Now, we just can’t wait to see the darn thing without camouflage. Porsche While the Porsche Taycan electric sports car and the Volkswagen ID 3 electric mass-market hatchback have about as much in common as a tuna fish sandwich and Euler’s formula, they are still both electric cars that happen to offer reservations ahead of production. You might think the much more affordable car would garner a bit more attention than the expensive one; you might also be wrong.According to a report from German-language business newspaper Handelsblatt this weekend, Porsche board member Andreas Haffner indicated that Porsche has 30,000 orders for the Taycan already. This is a pretty large leap from the last estimate we heard in March, when Porsche said over 20,000 people had registered their interest.Consultant and analyst Matthias Schmidt pointed out in a tweet that, according to the most recent data, Porsche has more Taycan reservations than Volkswagen has reservations for the ID 3 electric hatchback. VW’s most recent deposit estimate, about 22,000, came from Jürgen Stackmann, the VW board member responsible for sales and marketing.While it might seem odd that a car with, in all likelihood, at least twice the base price will command more reservations, it makes sense. VW’s ID 3 hatchback is a mass-market vehicle, part of a giant onslaught that will feature multiple body types, and not everyone might want the ID 3 itself over, say, an ID Buzz or an ID Crozz. On the other hand, the Taycan is the first electric Porsche, which carries a bit of cachet, and Porsche fanatics and moneyed EV geeks alike are probably champing at the bit to pick a Taycan up as quickly as possible.Porsche is set to unveil the Taycan in early September. While it’s working on the frontend stuff, it’s also massively investing in its backend, throwing some 6 billion euro at its manufacturing facilities to handle Taycan production. The automaker is clearly impressed with demand for the car, as it’s already made moves to double first-year production from 20,000 cars to 40,000. With a starting price between the Cayenne and Panamera, it shouldn’t break the bank, either.(Hat tip to InsideEVs!) 0 42 Photos Ice drifting in Porsche’s all-electric Taycan 2020 Toyota 4Runner first drive: Same as it ever was — mostly 5:27 Electric Cars Sports Cars Future Cars Hatchbacks More From Roadshow 2020 Mini JCW Clubman first drive: A fast alternative for the crossover-averse Porsche Volkswagen 2020 Kia Soul review: Well-rounded box
Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL) is planning to re-open all its 1,400 retail fuel outlets across the country by the end of this financial year.The company has already re-opened over 320 fuel outlets, Reuters said citing a report on the firm’s website.The Mukesh Ambani-controlled company closed the fuel stations in 2008 when global crude oil prices were at a peak of $150 a barrel.As the government’s subsidy to state-owned companies made petrol and diesel prices cheaper at their fuel outlets, privately-owned retailers such as Reliance found it unsustainable to run their outlets.RIL closed 1,400 outlets after incurring a loss of ₹800 crore in 2007-08 in its fuel retailing business. Another privately-held fuel retailer Essar Oil is also reported to increase its fuel stations as a result of cheap crude oil prices in the international markets.India’s state-owned oil marketing companies have cut retail prices for petrol and diesel twice in April due to favourable currency rates and falling crude oil prices in the global market.RIL, India’s second largest by market capitalization, earned a record net profit of ₹6,381 crore in the March quarter, mainly driven by a healthy increase in refining margins.Gross refining margin jumped to $10.1 a barrel during the quarter, from $9.3 during the fourth quarter last fiscal and $7.3 in the December quarter. “RIL was able to fully capitalise on market conditions, through its operational excellence, higher efficiency and well-executed strategies around crude sourcing and product placement,” the company said.
Yanghee Lee. UNB file photoThe UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar Yanghee Lee has lamented the decades long cycle of violence perpetuated by the authorities against ethnic minorities in Myanmar, including Rohingya Muslims, reports UNB.In a statement following her visits to Thailand and Bangladesh last month, she also said talk of repatriating hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas anytime soon was premature.Lee said that what the Myanmar government claims to be the conduct of military or security operations was actually an established pattern of domination, aggression and violations against ethnic groups, according to a statement UNB received here from Seoul on Thursday.”Recent reports of attacks against civilians; against homes and places of worship; forcible displacement and relocation; the burning of villages; land grabbing; sexual violence; arbitrary arrests and detention; torture and enforced disappearances; are acts that have been alleged against the military and security forces for generations,” she said.”While reports from Rakhine State have rightly provoked international outrage; for many in Myanmar, they have elicited a tragic sense of déjà vu.”She said the atrocities committed against the Rohingyas in the aftermath of the 9 October 2016 and the 25 August 2017 attacks, have been repeatedly witnessed before, albeit not on the same scale of the recent attacks against the Rohingya.”I was told repeatedly by the other ethnic groups I spoke to — be they Kachin, Karen, Karenni, or Shan — that they have suffered the same horrific violations at the hands of the Tatmadaw over several decades and — in the case of some groups — continuing today,” Lee said.”In Thailand, representatives from different ethnic groups that I met expressed their concern that as the world’s attention is focused on the atrocities in Rakhine State, potential war crimes are being committed in Shan and Kachin State without so much as a murmur of disapproval from the international community.”Lee said that set against this background of violence in the ethnic areas of Myanmar, was a continuing erosion of democratic space.”The civilian government has failed to usher in a new era of openness and transparency and is instead persisting with repressive practices of the past.”Lee, who was informed by the Myanmar authorities last year she would no longer be allowed to visit the country on the grounds her reporting was unfair and biased, called on the democratic government to break with the repressive practices of the past, and to allow people who have fled their country to return home – to where they belong.But she added: “For returns to be ever realized in a way that is voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable they must be treated as equals — citizens of Myanmar with all the rights that that status affords.”She said that while the government of Bangladesh had made it clear that no refugees would be forced back to Myanmar, the international community must pressure Myanmar to create conditions for their return before it is too late.”This must be done in a principled way that prioritizes the need for these people to be recognized as Rohingya and as citizens of Myanmar,” she said.Lee said that during her visit to a camp in Cox’s Bazaar, Bangladesh, she saw great anxiety and fear when speaking to refugees about the prospect of returning to Myanmar.”One mother said to me, ‘Our beautiful children were slaughtered. How can we go back?’ Refugees have been entirely excluded from conversations about their fate, and going forward they must be involved in a meaningful way.”Without equality, Myanmar will never be free from violence and the country’s tragic déjà vu will reverberate through the future as it has through the past. The cycle of violence must end, and Myanmar must be supported in implementing the profound and meaningful reforms that are so urgently needed.”Lee said she hoped to regain access to Myanmar. “I remain ready to work with the Government and other stakeholders to promote and protect the human rights of all people in Myanmar,” she said.
Fire Ant1/10Range: Native to South AmericaDescription: “Sharp, sudden, mildly alarming. Like walking across a shag carpet and reaching for the light switch.”Pain level: 1<><> Pain is a hard thing to quantify, but University of Arizona entomologist Justin Schmidt has done his best to do just that. He’s stung himself over 1,000 times with 85 different insects so we’ll know which ones hurt the most. This is the Schmidt Pain Scale, which he began developing in the 1980s. It ranges from 1 (not very painful) to 4 (feels like you’re going to die). Schmidt published a book several months ago (called The Sting of the Wild) and recently shared some snippets of his incredibly vivid descriptions of what it’s like the be stung by the world’s most painful stingers. Seriously, he has a way with words. He even reveals the most painful sting he’s ever experienced. 
Back in 2004, thieves took away two rare limestone reliefs that for millennia had rested in a Medieval church close to Burgos, in the north of Spain. The stolen church artifacts, which were found only recently, display the images of two Catholic saints, one of them being John the Evangelist. Each of the reliefs weigh about 110 lbs and their worth is deemed priceless. The church, called Santa Maria de Lara, is dated back to and associated with the Visigoths, the Germanic tribe that reigned over much of the territory of present-day southern France and Spain between the 5th and 8th centuries. It’s an important site since experts believe this is among the earliest Catholic churches built on Spanish territory and accommodates one of the earliest depictions of Christ in Spanish religious art. In November 1929, the church attained national monument status.A view of the surviving west face of the Visigothic church. Initially the center part of this wall would have been on the interior of the original church. Photo by Jethrothompson – CC BY-SA 3.0The thieves seemed to be unaware of the background of the artifacts at first. They were perhaps disappointed that they were not going to earn millions. Since national and world treasures are hard to sell, they eventually opted to sell their plunder as garden decor. They still managed to nail down a lucrative deal, however.Fast forward to 2019: Dutch-born art detective Arthur Brand has found the stolen reliefs, rotting in a north London garden in the ownership of an aristocratic family. Each piece had been purchased by the family for about $65,000 or £50,000 in British currency.The identity of the family who made the purchase remains a secret. According to Brand, who is renowned in his field of work, the family unwittingly bought the artifacts.Two priceless stone reliefs stolen from a mysterious ancient Spanish church in 2004 were handed back after they were traced to an English garden where they were displayed as ornaments. Dubbed the ‘Indiana Jones of the art world’ because of his exploits, Dutch art detective Arthur Brand said he handed the carvings back to the Spanish embassy at a private ceremony in London. (Photo credit NIKLAS HALLE’N/AFP/Getty Images)“It ended up in the garden of an English nobleman, who did not know that it was world heritage, where they would stay like 15 years,” Brand told AFP.“You can imagine how horrified they were to learn that their garden ornaments were, in fact, priceless stolen Spanish religious art,” he said.Mr. Brand has been searching for the plundered artifacts for about nine years. He had initially obtained information from an unnamed British source that a strange type of item had shown up in London.One of two 7th century limestone Visigoth reliefs is displayed, having been recovered by Dutch art detective Arthur Brand (not pictured), in north London on January 20, 2019, the reliefs, depicting evangelists, where both stolen from the Maria del Lara Church in Spain.(Photo credit NIKLAS HALLE’N/AFP/Getty Images)As the story goes, the reliefs had reached London in a truck operated by a French dealer, after which the saints were offered on sale as garden decoration. Brand was able to find the French dealer, and the investigation ultimately concluded in the garden of the unnamed British family.Brand told AFP that the family got “quite nervous” as the age-old artifacts “that were made for the Spanish sun were in their garden, exposed to the English rain.”Arthur Brand poses with the missing mosaic of St Mark, a rare piece of stolen Byzantine art from Cyprus, in a hotel room in The Hague on November 17, 2018. – Brand said he handed back the artwork to Cypriot authorities on the same day. (Photo by Jan HENNOP / AFP)Brand’s latest investigation only adds to his impressive list of solved cases. He has famously been dubbed the “Indiana Jones of the art world” and some of his tasks have required him to even negotiate with criminal gangs.Live Science notes that other high profile cases he has handled involve “a 1,600-year-old mosaic stolen from a church in Cyprus when Turkey occupied the country in 1974” as well as “two bronze horse sculptures commissioned by Adolf Hitler during the second world war.”Dutch art detective Arthur Brand poses with the missing mosaic of St Mark, a rare piece of stolen Byzantine art from Cyprus, in a hotel room in The Hague on November 17, 2018. – Brand said he handed back the artwork to Cypriot authorities on the same day. (Photo by Jan HENNOP / AFP) (Photo credit should read JAN HENNOP/AFP/Getty Images)According to the Independent, Brand has helped return two million dollars worth of paintings, “Salvador Dali’s 1941 Surrealist work Adolescence and Polish Art Deco painter Tamara de Lempicka’s La Musicienne (1929), which featured in Madonna’s ‘Vogue’ music video.”In the aftermath of Brand’s latest investigation, the Spanish religious reliefs were safely returned to the Spanish embassy in London during a private ceremony held on 21 January, according to the AFP.Read another story from us: Ancient Egyptian Carving Found Defaced as Part of a Supernatural Revenge PlotNext, the artifacts will undergo restoration upon their return to the Santa Maria de Lara church. Since their cultural and historical value is unquestionable, to find them in a garden after a quest that lasted nearly a decade, in the words of the renowned art detective is “just incredible.”
Early last month, the team at OpenZepplin announced their first release candidate ‘OpenZepplin 2.0 RC1’. Yesterday, the team released a completely stable, audited, and fully tested package of this framework. OpenZeppelin is an open-source framework to build secure smart contracts for Ethereum and other EVM and eWASM blockchains. This framework provides well tested and audited code to secure blockchain-based projects. It caters to a new generation of distributed applications, protocols and organizations to counter the high risks and challenges faced while writing simple and secure code that deals with real money. Features of OpenZeppelin 2.0 #1 A Stable API One of the major updates of this release is that OpenZeppelin 2.0 now comes with a stable API to deliver reliable updates. The previous releases of OpenZeppelin have almost always encountered a change in its API. This has helped the team come up with multiple ideas for the framework. The experimental contracts in the drafts/ subdirectory can, however, experience changes in their minor versions. With the growing size and complexity of smart contract systems, developers can use this framework as a predictable interface to design vulnerability free contracts. The team plans to release more information on the Stable API in the following weeks. #2 Improved test suite The team has been improving the OpenZeppelin’s test suite over time. OpenZeppelin 2.0 now has 100% test coverage. Every line of code in the package is now automatically tested. #3 Full Independent Audit LevelK team audited the OpenZeppelin 2.0.0 Release Candidate and found some severe issues. They then went on to suggest many improvements which helped fix almost all the issues and notes reported. Users are requested to check out the LevelK Audit – OpenZeppelin 2.0 project for all the details. The audit has helped the team secure the code further and help future developers easily deploy these contracts as they are intended to be used. #4 Miscellaneous Updates In addition to a stable API and an improved test suite, the version update comes with new concepts and designs along with many renames and restructures. These include changes like Ownable contracts moving to a role based access . Derived contracts cannot access state variables directly- as they are now private – use of getters is important. This was done to increase encapsulation. The team has also removed a few contracts that are not secure enough. For instance: LimitBalance, HasNoEther, HasNoTokens, HasNoContracts, NoOwner, Destructible, TokenDestructible, and CanReclaimToken stand removed. You can check all of these upgrades as well as the entire changelog at Github. Alternatively, head over to their blog for more insights on this release. Read Next Ethereum Blockchain dataset now available in BigQuery for smart contract analytics Will Ethereum eclipse Bitcoin? The trouble with Smart Contracts
Correction: The photo that originally appeared with this story, of the dive boat Orca IV, carried an erroneous caption stating that it was one of the boats seized this week by Coast Guard. It was not. In addition, the original version of this story incorrectly stated that three boats were seized this week by Costa Rican Coast Guard for allegedly transporting tourists with proper permits. In fact, only two boats were seized by Coast Guard officers for this reason.The captain of a third boat, Orca IV, was taken into custody by authorities, who said he was wanted on murder charges. After The Tico Times received a complaint from the owner of the boat saying our reporting was inaccurate, the Public Security Ministry confirmed that although the captain was detained, he was released shortly afterwards.We apologize for the errors.UPDATE 2, Thursday, 01:47 p.m.:The Tico Times spoke with the owner and captain of the Orca IV, Robert McDaniel, a retired sheriff from Florida and an ex-Marine. McDaniel, a dive specialist for the Marines, participated in several maritime investigations over the course of his career, and he says he’s less than impressed to find his boat’s name in the news this morning. The story, based off a report filed by Costa Rican Coast Guard officers and released publicly by the Public Security Ministry, was misconstrued along the evidence chain by officials, he claimed. The Tico Times contacted a ministry spokeswoman again, following the conversation with McDaniel. She said ministry press officials are looking into the matter. We will update the story as soon as we obtain further comments from the ministry.As to the alleged murder charges against his Costa Rican captain, McDaniel said the man, surnamed Marchena, was held for 30 minutes before being released with an apology from officials.UPDATE, Thursday, Aug. 27, 12:15 p.m.:The company that owns and operates one of the boats in the original post below, and pictured above, the Orca IV, is disputing the information provided to The Tico Times by the Public Security Ministry. Ileana Brenes, of the company Oceans Unlimited, told us this morning that the Orca IV is not a fishing boat, but rather a dive boat and is legally registered to operate as such. She said the boat’s owner, Robert McDaniel, is a former U.S. sheriff and well known in the Quepos area. The company also has helped train local Coast Guard officers, Brenes said.“The boat that appears on the cover of The Tico Times is not a sport fishing boat, and it clearly shows owner Robert McDaniel (captain of the Orca IV), who is a retired sheriff from the U.S., and it is neither illegal nor is he “wanted for murder.” In the photo also appears a man who has provided Scuba training to Coast Guard officers in the region,” Brenes wrote in an email.According to Brenes, the temporary seizure of the Orca IV and the allegation that its Costa Rican captain, with the last name Marchena, is wanted on murder charges, is a “massive misunderstanding” by officials. She said Marchena was quickly released after a brief detention.“We have worked hard to establish this company in the region and promote ourselves as a legitimate business,” she said. “All of our paperwork is in order.”The Tico Times contacted a spokeswoman from the Public Security Ministry Thursday morning to respond to the company’s comments. That spokeswoman said the ministry’s statement on the seizures is based on reports from the Coast Guard. Any doubts regarding the veracity of those reports should be directed to the Public Security Ministry press office, she said. We will update this story as more information becomes available.Original post continues here:Three small fishing boats — two of them illegally transporting tourists — have been seized in Pacific waters so far this week by Costa Rican Coast Guard officers.The Public Security Ministry (MSP) in a news release said the Coast Guard had increased patrols along the Pacific coast in recent days following reports of several small fishing boats offering trips to tourists without a valid permit.Commercial and artisanal fishing boats usually do not have the infrastructure for transporting additional passengers. They often lack minimum security measures, like lifejackets for all passengers and radios for emergency communication. Many don’t have any insurance policy.One of the boats seized was transporting 18 tourists near Tambor Bay on the Nicoya Peninsula. The boat’s owner showed officers a navigation permit for a different boat. The boat in use did not display the boat’s name or registration number and the engines weren’t the same as those described in the license, according to the Coast Guard report.Another boat identified as Capitán Walker was abandoned by its captain in front of Tortuga Island in the Gulf of Nicoya. The official report says the captain jumped into the water and ran toward the beach as soon as he noticed the Coast Guard speedboat.Neither of these boats had authorization to be in the areas where they were seized. Both were taken to the Coast Guard station in the Port of Caldera.Coast Guard officers noted that boats like the ones seized generally can only navigate safely within three miles of the coastline, however some have been detected up to 26 miles offshore, frequently transporting passengers beyond their capacity.In May, four people died off Golfito, in the southern Pacific, when the fishing boat they were on capsized, apparently because it was overloaded, Coast Guard reported at the time.A third vessel (see update above) transporting two tourists was seized Wednesday off Quepos, in the central Pacific, after a Coast Guard inspection found that the boat’s captain was wanted by a criminal court in Osa on murder charges. The man, who’s last name is Marchena, was taken to a local Judicial Investigation Police precinct. 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Quick workouts for men AP National Writer (AP) – A newly released audit says the largest U.S. contractor working to stabilize Haiti after the 2010 earthquake is “not on track” to complete its assignments on schedule, has a weak monitoring system and is not adequately involving community members.Washington D.C.-based Chemonics won a $53 million, 18-month contract from USAID in 2011 to help Haiti strengthen its economy and public institutions. USAID’s Office of Inspector General released a report Monday that found Chemonics had a series of slips, including using arbitrary ways of evaluating its work, failing to hire local workers, and going ahead with potentially damaging environmental projects before they were approved. Top ways to honor our heroes on Veterans Day Comments Share Top Stories Bottoms up! Enjoy a cold one for International Beer Day Construction begins on Chandler hospital expansion project “This report touches on a lot of issues we’ve seen with the overall reconstruction effort,” said Jake Johnston, a researcher at the Washington D.C.-based Center for Economic and Policy Research who studies U.S. spending in Haiti. “There’s a lack of transparency and the work is often poorly planned and poorly executed.”Chemonics did not have an immediate comment, but a spokeswoman said it was preparing a response. USAID’s Office of Transition Initiatives, which manages the Chemonics contracts, said in a written response to the audit that it agrees with all of the recommendations and that changes are under way to resolve the issues.“It should be noted that it is challenging to attribute direct results in complex and fluid stabilization environments, and it is often the absence of destabilizing events that demonstrates stability in these historically volatile areas,” USAID directors Robert Jenkins and Steve Olive said in a joint response.This is the second time Chemonics work in Haiti has been found lacking. In 2010, USAID auditors found the firm failed to hire thousands of Haitians as planned under a cash-for-work program, spending the funds on equipment and materials.
Men’s health affects baby’s health too Mary Coyle ice cream to reopen in central Phoenix Sponsored Stories Also in 2010, Chemonics was one of five groups criticized for wasting aid in Afghanistan on foreign workers’ high salaries, security and living arrangements.Chemonics, which has worked in 150 countries, counts USAID as its largest client.In Haiti, Chemonics was awarded a $39.5 million contract after the earthquake for the first phase of reconstruction, involving 301 different small projects including setting up temporary space for parliament and holding Haiti’s first-ever presidential debates. Its second $53 million contract, aimed at a second phase of reconstruction, had more than 140 different projects aimed at improving the social and economic situation in Haiti by hosting job fairs, printing training guides to prevent violence against women, establishing a daily radio news program and other projects.Auditors said the second phase lacks accountability on many levels.For example, the U.S. is helping construct a major, $224 million industrial park which is projected to employ more than 20,000 people in a small, impoverished northern community. Chemonics set out to beautify nearby towns to project “a positive image of what role the nearby Caracol industrial park and other upcoming economic investments will play in citizens’ lives.” It didn’t work. The plan was to spruce up the towns by installing benches, upgrading landscaping, and doing some minor masonry work. Auditors found Chemonics purchased and planted some seedlings for the town center, but they died from lack of care, and residents said they didn’t see how the activity led to the beautification of the area nor did they associate it with the industrial park.As a contractor, Chemonics is also responsible for setting up its own system of evaluation. The auditors found some of the ways the firm was measuring accomplishments simply didn’t make sense. For example, Chemonics conducted an engineering study to improve one town’s roads, and then measured their accomplishment by trying to count how many rebuilt institutions and structures “incorporate principles that support democracy and government legitimacy.”At times the work has also seemed backward. For example, an environmental review required in advance of farming projects was instead signed off on three months after Chemonics had 700,000 flowering tropical jatropha seedlings planted as part of a temporary work program.(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) Former Arizona Rep. Don Shooter shows health improvement
Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin has called for legislation raising the debt ceiling to be tied to Hurricane Harvey relief, according to an interview with Fox News Sunday. The Secretary fears that if the debt ceiling isn’t raised, the Treasury Department will be unable to borrow the money it needs to aid areas in Texas and Louisiana affected by the storm.According to multiple news sources, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has estimated anywhere between $100 billion and $180 billion could be needed to rebuild after the storm.The White House asked Congress for $7.85 billion in immediate aid, with $6.7 billion in additional funds. According to Mnuchin, the United States had enough funding through September 30, 2017, but the requested funding for Harvey has moved that date forward.“Without raising the debt limit, I’m not comfortable that we will get the money that we need this month to Texas to rebuild,” Mnuchin said. “And that’s our priority. We need to help the people in Texas, and we need to get that done.”If Congress is unable to pass a budget by early October—maybe sooner when considering the cost of Harvey relief—the U.S. could be at risk of government shutdown as well as defaulting on its debt.While the U.S. has never defaulted on its debt, it has come close. In 2013, Congress was unable to pass a budget in time for the fiscal year start in October, which led to a government shutdown and the BBC to speculate on the implications of a U.S. default in the global marketplace.According to the article, the accepted notion is that a U.S. default would cause a spike in interest rates around the world and the value of bonds would decrease, resulting in higher yields. Because 30-year fixed mortgage rates are directly tied to Treasury bonds, interest rates could rise as well, although nothing is set in stone.“As President, [tax reform] is also one of his biggest priorities to create economic growth,” said Mnuchin. “We’ve been working since January with the leadership in the House and the Senate. We want to make sure we have one plan—not three plans. The objective is to get this passed and get it to the President’s desk this year.”Mnuchin also noted at the end of the interview that the current draft of the tax plan would keep the mortgage interest rate deduction intact. Share Mnuchin to Congress: Tie Debt Ceiling to Harvey Relief September 4, 2017 791 Views 
in Daily Dose, Featured, Government, News, Servicing Debt Ceiling Department of Treasury Hurricane harvey 2017-09-04 Joey Pizzolato
Orient-Express Hotels Ltd., developer of The Villas at La Samanna on the French side of St. Martin, has entered into an agreement with the luxury destination club Quintess, The Leading Residences of the World, to add two of La Samanna’s free-standing villas to its illustrious portfolio as of February 20, 2010. Quintess, LRW is initially bringing on two villas for the club’s members, each with four-bedrooms, a private pool, unparalleled service and panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea.“This interest from the elite membership of Quintess reinforces the status of La Samanna as one of the finest residential communities anywhere in the Caribbean, as well as the stature of Orient-Express in the world of luxury real estate. We are delighted to be working together,” said Paul White, President and Chief Executive Officer, Orient-Express Hotels.While many other destination clubs are reducing their portfolios, Quintess, LRW has been able to expand its horizon with additional properties and new destinations. Providing its 525+ members with access to more than 80 multimillion-dollar residences in more than 40 international destinations, Quintess, LRW continues to welcome new members.Overlooking St. Martin’s Baie Longue, a pristine white sand beach, the eight newly-constructed Villas at La Samanna offer a graceful Mediterranean architecture with a Caribbean spirit and boast more than 4,600 square feet of space, with generous living quarters, master bedrooms, private terraces and indoor/outdoor dining space. The Villas are ideal for those who know and appreciate the personal care and fine amenities offered by neighboring resort La Samanna, an Orient-Express hotel, and want to share this experience on an even grander scale with their family and friends. With a private island feel, The Villas are only a short drive to the exclusive shops of Marigot and the gourmet restaurants of Grand Case.www.lasamanna.com