The Nationals have recently found a reliable combination for the back end of their bullpen in Matt Albers and Koda Glover.But they could use more depth, and help appears on the way. From the left side, Sammy Solis threw a 40-pitch bullpen session at the clubs facility in West Palm Beach, Fla. on Tuesday. And from the right side, Joe Blanton was slated to begin a rehab assignment with Class AA Harrisburg on Thursday, according to Manager Dusty Baker.

Solis has been on the disabled list since April 19 with nerve damage in his elbow. The left-hander posted an 8.31 ERA in six games before he was shelved. Baker said Solis is still in Florida. As for his next step, the manager wouldnt divulge any details.

His next step is his next step, he said.

Blanton was placed on the disabled list May 17 with shoulder inflammation after his worst stretch since becoming a full-time reliever two years ago. He has a 9.49 ERA and has allowed six home runs in 12 1/3 innings.

Hes getting better, Baker said.

Bakers prognosis for Jayson Werth wasnt as positive. Werth hurt his left big toe when he fouled a pitch off it Sunday against the Oakland Athletics. X-rays were negative, but the left fielderneeded crutches and was put on the disabled list Monday.

Its not going to be quick, Baker said. If anybodys ever hurt their toe, it heals slower. You have worse circulation there, and it looks ugly. Were not planning on Jayson the next few days. Hes just trying to get the swelling out, and thats the toughest thing to do. Keeping it up, elevated, stay off of it, but try to do some leg work and some arm work in order not to get out of shape when you hurt your feet, because everything you do to stay in shape is on your feet. Were going to do whatever we can to keep him in shape so its not starting all over when he gets back.

Werth probably wouldnt have played in Thursdays make-up game the Orioles anyway, not after such a quick turnaround off a nine-game West Coast trip, which concluded Wednesday in Los Angeles. Baker likes to give players days off in these situations, and he stuck to his philosophy Thursday by not including Ryan Zimmerman, Daniel Murphy and Anthony Rendon in his starting lineup.

Chris Heisey wouldve been useful for the manager, but the outfielder said he still hasnt resumed any baseball activities since aggravating his right biceps injury during a two-game rehab assignment last week. He said his plan is to make sure he is 100 percent before pushing it again. Heisey ruptured his biceps April 23 and was placed on the disabled list the next day, but doctors told him he could play as long as he could manage the pain. The rehabassignment, however, left his arm black-and-blue and left him thinking he might have rushed it.

ORIOLES Seth Smith LF Jonathan Schoop 2B Mark Trumbo 1B Chris Davis 3B Trey Mancini LF Joey Rickard CF Caleb Joseph C J.J. Hardy SS Alec Asher RHP

NATIONALS Trea Turner SS Wilmer Difo 2B Bryce Harper RF Adam Lind 1B Matt Wieters C Stephen Drew 3B Michael A. Taylor CF Brian Goodwin LF Joe Ross RHP

View original post here:

Sammy Solis, Joe Blanton making progress for Nationals - Washington Post

This year is the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down anti-miscegenation laws. A look at survey data shows were more accepting these days of mixed marriages ... but not entirely so.

Interracial marriage is far more common than it once was in the United States, but its still as complex as the country itself.

The growth in such marriages is a sign of progress, while the details tell more than a single story about who we are as a nation today.

Lots of attention has been paid to the phenomenon as we approach the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Courts June 12, 1967, ruling in the case Richard and Mildred Loving brought against the state of Virginia. The ruling struck down anti-miscegenation laws that still existed at that time in several states.

Ive been looking again at some of the numbers and thinking about what they mean.

According to the most recent PEW Research Center report, based on 2015 data, 17 percent of newlyweds that year were in interracial or interethnic marriages. Only 3 percent of newlyweds in 1967 were in mixed marriages.

Both numbers strike me as unnaturally low because humans are inclined to mix it up. When people from different ethnic groups come together, they share genes. It takes some kind of pressure to prevent that laws, for instance, or threats of violence.

These days it might be neighborhood segregation, social pressure or class gaps that restrict mate choices.

Richard Loving was classified as white and Mildred was classified as colored (her parents were both mixed, Indian and black). Virginia prohibited marriages between white people and people of other races. The Lovings were taken from their home and jailed in July 1958.

The Supreme Court in its ruling touched on the reason for such laws, declaring that anti-miscegenation laws existed to enforce white supremacy and were unconstitutional. Thats important context.

The countrys entire racial-classification system and the myths that support it grew out of the desire of one group to justify its domination of others. The marriage laws were struck down, but marriage, like most institutions, is still distorted by the ideology behind the laws, one that defines and ranks people by their assigned race.

A 1990 survey of Americans asked people who were not black whether they would be opposed to a close relative marrying someone who was black. Sixty-three percent said they would be opposed, but that percentage has declined over the years. And the demographics have changed, too.

For years, the survey didnt ask whether people of other races might have an objection to a relative marrying a white person. It also didnt ask about objections to any group other than black people.

In 2000, the survey began asking people of several races and ethnicities whether they would be opposed to a close relative marrying someone of one of several other groups.

Objections to all combinations of marriages have dropped significantly since then. By 2016, opposition to a relative marrying a black person was at 14 percent, 9 percent for marrying either a Hispanic or Asian person, and 4 percent for a relative marrying a white person.

Thats a good snapshot of where different groups stand socially in relation to one another. But there are all kinds of asterisks.

Black men are much more likely than black women to marry a person from another group. Its just the opposite for Asian Americans.

Hispanic men and women are equally likely to marry outside.

Hispanic/white marriages are by far the most common type of intergroup marriage (42 percent of all intergroup marriages), followed by Asian/white marriages (15 percent of the total).

Within both groups, recent immigrants were the least likely to marry outside the group.

A majority of American-Indian newlyweds marry people from other groups, 58 percent in PEWs 2013 survey.

There was also a difference in 2015 based on education level, with higher education generally, but not always, correlating to higher rates of intergroup marriage.

White newlyweds in cities were more likely to be intermarried than those in rural areas. That divide reminded me of the political split between cities, which vote blue, and less populated areas that vote red.

Not surprisingly, the PEW study found significant differences in acceptance of intermarriages based on political affiliation.

Forty-nine percent of Democrats and independents who lean toward Democrats say increasing of intermarriage is a good thing. Only 28 percent of Republicans and independents who lean toward that party say that it is a good thing.

Those numbers say something different from the falling numbers for objections to various parings. Together, they seem to say there is more tolerance, but not exactly a warm embrace of intermarriage.

Intermarriage isnt a goal, but an indicator of where we are socially. If our goals are reducing bias and baked-in inequality, then we do still have more to do.

Link:

Racial ideas persist, despite progress on interracial marriage - The Seattle Times

Niecy Nash (Selma,Scream Queens) is returning to TV with the premiere of her TNT comedy-drama,Claws, in which she stars as a money laundering salon owner. The two-time Emmy nominee sat down for EW and PEOPLEs Beyond Beautifulseries to talk about obstacles in her career, advice she has for her younger self, and how she feels the industry is progressing.

A self-proclaimed lover of people, Nash said, The one thing I will say about progress in the entertainment business is theres always #More that can be done. She added, I celebrate the fact that, you know, there are so many black and brown women leading series right now, but the world is bigger than black and brown women too. Theres a whole lotta other women who got stories to tell. So I do believe that theres progress being made, but #More.

Nash, whose career really took off when she landed a role on Comedy Centrals Reno 911, saysher biggest professional challenge has been getting people to think differently in how they see me, often taking matters into her own hands. Ive had to call a whole team meeting and just say, I just wanted to reintroduce myself to you, cause I changed, the 47-year-old Southern California native explained. There are things that have happened in my being that make me not the same client you signed two or three years ago. And with that said, heres where Im going. Now you can come with me, or not.

RELATED: 13 Empowering Portraits From EWs Beyond Beautiful 2016 Shoot

After more than two decades in the business, Nashs advice for an earlier version of herself is the same guidance she gives other people now: Trust your gift. Where other people doubted it, it was my job to trust it, to trust what they doubted. And thats why its not called them-esteem, its called self-esteem.'

Check out the clip above for more.

Claws premieres Sunday at 9 p.m. E.T. on TNT.

See the article here:

Claws star Niecy Nash calls for '#More' progress in entertainment industry - EW.com

I keep reading that in the foreseeable future our jobs will be taken over by machines.

And I believe it. But to what end?

I pondered this the other day as I was getting gasoline for my car. I was pumping the gas myself, naturally. I wouldn't even know where or if there were any full-service stations nearby.

If all your parts are working properly, pumping your own gasoline is a cinch. But, if you have physical or mobility problems pumping gas can be an ordeal.

An ordeal that once didn't exist.

All service stations were full service at one time. Then in 1947 the first self-service station opened in Los Angeles. The idea caught on. Machines, aided by the customer, did the work. Thus, gas station attendants went the way of the dinosaurs. Laid off attendants meant more profits.

Now, self-service gasoline stations are the rule, except in Oregon and New Jersey.

It is against the law to pump your own gas in these two state. The laws that prohibit the public from pumping gas claim there is danger of fire and explosion. Pumping gas should be left to the pros.

I remember those pros. There was a Texaco station on the corner in my old neighborhood. Johnny, the owner, and one helper were the attendants. When your car tolled over the hose that made a dinging sound, Johnny would emerge from the repair bay wiping grease from his hands. He would pump the gas, check the oil, give your tires the once-over and clean your windows.

Then you were on your way and your hands didn't smell like gasoline.

Full-service stations also had the advantage that the attendants also were mechanics. If your car was coughing, wheezing or had a flat you could just pull into the nearest gas station for help.

Today, pull into a self-service station with a problem and the attendant can sell you a lottery ticket but can't do much else for you or your car.

In what could be seen as a metaphor for the end of full-service gasoline stations, Johnny was found one morning in the repair bay of his station, dead from a heart attack.

Too bad that Johnny and his brand of service are gone except in Oregon and New Jersey.

But, that's progress.

Or, maybe, just change.

Paul Sassone is a freelance columnist.

Excerpt from:

Column: Is it progress, or just change? - Chicago Tribune

As legislators returned to their hometowns without approving a state budget Thursday, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and legislators said they made progress during the 2017 session despite the unfinished business.

The largest remaining element is the two-year, $40 billion budget that legislators hope to negotiate before the end of the fiscal year on June 30. The enactment of the budget is the most important task of the legislature, and all sides agreed that they currently lack enough consensus to reach an agreement.

But Malloy looked back Thursday to opening day of the in early January, and said there was "real progress that has been accomplished'' over the past five months.

Those include pension restructuring in which the state avoided a huge "cliff'' with a potential balloon payment as large as $6 billion in a single year in 2032. That change marked the first time on a major policy issue this year that Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman broke a party-line tie to seal the deal in the evenly divided Senate.

Malloy also cited bail reform and the passage of a constitutional "lock box'' to ensure that transportation money cannot be diverted for other purposes - as has been done in the past. But Republicans blasted the idea as having a shiny lock on the front and holes in the back. As such, House Republican leader Themis Klarides of Derby said Thursday that the general public should reject the constitutional lock box at the ballot box in November 2018.

"The sources of revenue that go in can be manipulated,'' Klarides said. "That's not being truthful.''

But Malloy, who is not seeking reelection, is continuing to push his transportation agenda.

"A thriving economy demands a modern transportation network. Our cities need such a network to survive themselves. Protecting transportation dollars is an important and long overdue step in the right direction.''

On the high-profile issue of casinos, Malloy declined to say directly whether he would sign the so-called "sweetener'' bill that passed both chambers as part of a package to allow the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes to construct a $300 million East Windsor casino to compete with a nearly $1 billion full-scale casino under construction in Springfield.

Klarides supported the so-called "sweetener'' bill after plans for a Hartford boutique casino and slot machines in the off-track betting parlors in three cities were dropped.

"There were so many iterations on that table,'' Klarides said. "By the end of the day, the change in the OTB number and this other change were very reasonable.''

Those changes included increasing the number of off-track betting outlets to 24, up from the current 18, and establishing a regulatory framework for sports betting if that is legalized nationally.

More here:

Despite Budget Stalemate, Malloy Touts Progress in Legislature - Hartford Courant

7 June 2017: The UN Secretary-General has issued the 2017 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) progress report, providing an overview of global progress towards the 17 SDGs on the basis of the latest available data related to the global SDG indicator framework. The report notes that tracking progress on the SDGs requires an unprecedented amount of data and statistics at all levels.

The report, titled Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (E/2017/66), was mandated by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which requests the UN Secretary-General in cooperation with the UN system to prepare an annual progress report to inform follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda at the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). The report will be introduced at the beginning of 2017 session of the HLPF, on 10 July.

The SDG indicator framework upon which the report is based was developed by the UN Inter-Agency Expert Group on SDG Indicators (IAEG-SDGs). In March 2017, the 48th session of the UN Statistical Commission (UNSC) agreed on the framework, and the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) adopted it on 7 June 2017. The report is based on a selection of the global indicators for which data were available as of April 2017. For most indicators, the report notes, values represent global, regional and subregional aggregates calculated from data from national statistical systems, compiled by international agencies.

On SDG 1 (no poverty), the report notes that the global poverty rate has been halved since 2000, but more efforts are required to boost incomes, alleviate suffering and build resilience for individuals that still live in extreme poverty, in particular in sub-Saharan Africa. It also calls for social protection systems to be expanded and for risks to be mitigated for disaster-prone countries.

On SDG 2 (zero hunger), the report notes advances on combatting hunger and malnutrition since 2000. It calls for continued and focused efforts to end hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition, especially in Asia and Africa, and for more investments in agriculture, including government spending and aid.

On SDG 3 (good health and well-being), the report concludes that impressive advancements have occurred on many health fronts, but progress must be accelerated, in particular in regions with the highest burden of disease. Based on available data from 2005 to 2015, it finds that about half of all countries (including almost all of the least developed countries) have fewer than one physician and fewer than three nurses or midwives per 1,000 people.

Advancing toward SDG 4 (quality education) will require increasing efforts, the report notes, especially in sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia and for vulnerable populations, including persons with disabilities, indigenous people, refugee children and poor children in rural areas. It indicates that Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia account for over 70% of the global out-of-school population in primary and secondary education. It also shows that in all countries with data, children from the richest 20% of households achieved greater proficiency in reading at the end of their primary and lower secondary education than children from the poorest 20% of households.

On SDG 5 (gender equality), the report states that gender inequality persists worldwide, and achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls will require legal frameworks to counter deeply rooted gender-based discrimination. It notes that female genital mutilation (FGM) has declined by 30% over the last three decades, while the average amount of time spent on unpaid domestic and care work is more than threefold higher for women than men.

On SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation), over 90% of the worlds population used improved drinking water sources, the report finds, and over two thirds of the worlds population used improved sanitation facilities in 2015. In both cases, people without access live predominantly in rural areas. The report also indicates that more than two billion people globally are living in countries with excess water stress (defined as the ratio of total freshwater withdrawn to total renewable freshwater resources above a threshold of 25%).

The report calls for countries to embrace new technologies on a much wider scale, to achieve energy access for all.

Progress on SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy) falls short of what is needed to achieve energy access for all and to meet targets for renewable energy and energy efficiency, according to the report. It calls for higher levels of financing and bolder policy commitments, and for countries to embrace new technologies on a much wider scale.

In its conclusions for SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth), the report outlines that: the average annual growth rate of real gross domestic product (GDP) per capita worldwide was 1.6% from 2010 to 2015, compared to 0.9% in 2005-2009; global unemployment rate stood at 5.7% in 2016, with women more likely to be unemployed than men across all age groups; and child labor remains a serious concern, even though the number of children from five to 17 years of age who are working has declined, from 246 million in 2000 to 168 million in 2012.

On SDG 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure), the report states that the LDCs will need renewed investment to build infrastructure and ensure the doubling of industrys share of GDP in those countries by 2030, despite steady improvements in manufacturing output and employment. It also shows that official development assistance (ODA) for economic infrastructure in developing countries reached US$57 billion in 2015, an increase of 32% in real terms since 2010. The main recipient sectors were transport and energy, at US$19 billion each.

The report says progress has been mixed on SDG 10 (reduced inequalities). It calls for strengthening the voices of developing countries in decision-making fora of international economic and financial institutions, and remarks that the benefits of remittances from international migrant workers are reduced by the generally high cost of transfer.

On SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities), the report concludes that the world has experienced unprecedented urban growth in recent decades, with 54% of the worlds population living in cities in 2015. It adds that better urban planning and management are needed to make the worlds urban spaces more inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

Global figures for SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production) point to worsening trends, with domestic material consumption increasing from 1.51 kg to 1.73 kg per unit of GDP from 2000 to 2010, and the total of domestic material consumption also rising during the same period (from 48.7 billion tons to 71.1 billion tons). The report recommends adopting strong national frameworks for sustainable consumption and production (SCP) that are integrated into national and sectoral plans, and sustainable business practices, and to adhere to international norms on the management of hazardous chemicals and wastes.

On SDG 13 (climate action), the report indicates that as of 20 April 2017, seven developing countries had successfully completed and submitted the first iteration of their national adaptation plans. On disaster risk reduction (DRR), it reports that the number of deaths attributed to natural disasters continues to rise, despite progress in implementing DRR strategies, and strong efforts are needed to build resilience and limit climate-related hazards and natural disasters.

Among its observations on SDG 14 (life below water), the report states that global trends point to continued deterioration of coastal waters owing to pollution and eutrophication. In addition, the proportion of world marine fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels has declined from 90% in 1974 to 68.6% in 2013, but the trend has slowed and appears to have stabilized. The report finds that marine protected areas (MPAs) are important mechanisms for safeguarding ocean life, when effectively managed and well resourced.

On SDG 15 (life on land), the report concludes that the pace of forest loss has slowed and improvements continue to be made in managing forests sustainably and protecting areas for biodiversity. However, declining trends in land productivity, biodiversity loss and poaching and trafficking of wildlife remain serious concerns.

On SDG 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions), progress in promoting peace, justice, and effective, accountable and inclusive institutions remains uneven across and within regions, the report says. It shows an increase in violent conflicts in recent years, a slow decline in homicides, and better access to justice for more citizens around the world, adding that a few high-intensity armed conflicts are causing large numbers of civilian casualties.

On SDG 17 (partnerships for the Goals), the report provides observations on finance, information and communications technology (ICT), capacity building, trade, systemic issues, and data, monitoring and accountability. It notes that in 2014, developing countries received US$338 million in financial support for statistics, which accounted for only 0.18% of total ODA. To meet the data requirements of the SDGs, the report says, developing countries will need an estimated US$1 billion in statistical support annually from domestic and donor sources.

The report emphasizes that the amount of data and statistics needed to track SDG progress poses a major challenge to national and international statistical systems, and notes that the global statistical community is working to modernize and strengthen statistical systems. [Publication: Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals: Report of the Secretary-General] [SDG Knowledge Hub Story on ECOSOC Adoption of SDG Indicator Framework] [HLPF 2017 Website]

Read the original here:

UN Secretary-General Issues Second SDG Progress Report - IISD Reporting Services

In the decade between 2005 and 2015, the world changed dramatically. The smart phone was introduced. New planets were discovered. Yet children were still dying from a preventable and treatable illness that has plagued the world since the beginning of time.

A recently-published study in the medical journal The Lancetshowed that deaths from diarrhea among children under 5 dropped by 34 percent from 2005-2015 a major step toward ensuring that no child dies of a preventable or treatable disease. But half a million children still die from diarrheal diseases every year and millions more are sickened by unsafe drinking water, which turns a simple sip of water into a potentially life-threatening act for a vulnerable child.

As the fourth-largest killer of the worlds children, diarrhea is a particularly infuriating enemy. Clean water, proper sanitation and good hygiene practices can keep children safe from the water-borne illnesses that make them sick and deaths can be prevented with low-cost interventions like oral rehydration salts and, more recently, vaccines. These seem like simple solutions but for a child living in poverty, without access to basic health care, and with a body that may already be compromised by malnutrition or other preventable illnesses, a simple fix is anything but.

Over the past 15 years or so, Save the Children has been working to strengthen the communities where children at risk of childhood death live to reach children in the hardest-to-reach places in the world. By training and equipping community health workers to correctly diagnose and treat pneumonia, diarrhea and malaria, we have been able to contribute to a massive reduction in child deaths worldwide.

In Bangladesh, which the study notes saw a 60 percent reduction in under-5 deaths from diarrhea from 2005-2015, Save the Children has helped decentralize pneumonia and diarrhea treatment from formal health facilities (mostly in large population centers) to community-level facilities. More than 1.2 million sick children received services from trained village doctors working in local clinics and communities, and 2,000 children were referred to formal health facilities for further treatment as needed.

The progress in Bangladesh and around the world is encouraging, but its not good enough and its not happening fast enough. Approximately 1,400 children still die every day in the worlds poorest communities and diarrhea-related illness, which can leave a child weakened and susceptible to other illnesses, has only fallen by about 10 percent in the past decade. So if we want to give every last child the opportunity to have a healthy childhood, were simply going to have to do better.

Using what we know works and leveraging local communities to deliver life-saving medication, we can further reduce diarrheal death and illnessand make huge progress toward Sustainable Development Goals #3 (Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages) while we see the benefit of fulfilling #6 (Ensure access to water and sanitation for all). This study is a great start, and it reminds us that we need more data to build the evidence for what we know works and to spark innovation around new solutions that will help save more lives.

The data shows us whats possible. Our experience shows us whats doable. Now we must show children that we refuse to measure progress in decades or centuries or even millennia, but in the healthy childhoods that all children deserve.

Go here to read the rest:

Despite Progress, Too Many Children Are Still Dying From Diarrhea - HuffPost

Giants position coaches spoke with the media Wednesday and gave updates on the 2017 Draft class:

Nobody knows a football player better than his position coach.

From the meeting room to the practice field, thats who they spend the most time with at the facility. And that goes double for rookies.

TE EVAN ENGRAM

Tight Ends Coach Kevin M. Gilbride: He shows, very much so, a willingness to block and to finish. Its not pads [in OTAs], so that will change things to an extent, but I dont see him backing down. He has a toughness and a willingness to go against anybody on our defense, and Im hoping thats how itll be throughout the course of the season.

He certainly has some development to go, but he has a good knack for [catching the ball] in the fact that he understands coverage. He understands how the leverage of the coverage is going to change how he needs to run his route. He came in with that, and its continued to progress from there.

DT DALVIN TOMLINSON

Defensive Line Coach Patrick Graham: I think any rookie, as they come into the league, they dont know anything about this league aside from the stuff they read in the media and see on TV. So I think its important for them just to stick with what theyve done just in terms of being a good football player up until this point. An organization in the NFL wanted them. To be humble there, listen to the players and listen to the coaches and just diligently work through the process. [Tomlinson is] a pretty even-keel guy. Hell be able to handle it. We will see how it plays out once the competition comes and the season comes.

You never know with anyone. This league is unique. The day-to-day grind is very unique. Guys will just have to experience it. We will see where it goes from there. We wanted him for a reason. Hes a good football player, and he comes from a good program. Hell just work through the process, and we will do our best to make sure we facilitate that as much as possible.

QB DAVIS WEBB

Quarterbacks Coach Frank Cignetti Jr.: The adjustments been great. Hes functioning, hes intelligent, he has the willingness to learn, and every day hes making progress. [The biggest challenge coming from his college system] is a couple things. Lets start with the fundamentals. The fundamentals of the footwork are totally different. Then you talk about the pass game reads. Not only is the scheme different, but the reads are different. Then youve got to look at the pass protection. We have multiple protections in the National Football League. Then lets talk about even being under center, taking a snap under center, and having a run game. So there are a lot of things, and hes done a great job learning it.

RB WAYNE GALLMAN

Running Backs Coach Craig Johnson: I think he brings a lot to the table, but hes like all young backs that I know. Most young backs have to figure out how [they are] going to be good in all three phases in the NFL early. Number one thing: As Im running the ball, how are my guys blocking so I can know my tempo and timing to hit the hole? Number two: What am I going to do in my pass protection to make sure I protect my quarterback? I have to do that. Thats a key asset to be able to get on the field, and certainly in the NFL game, the blitzes and the pressures and multiple, so that takes a lot of time. And then last but not least: Wheres my spacing in the passing game? Am I a check-down option? Am I a primary option? Where am I supposed to be? How does my quarterback want me to run this route? That is key.

Every rookie that I know that has come into this offense is kind of slow and overwhelmed early; thats just part of the process. And then you start seeing them play faster. You can see it. They go, Oh yeah, Ive got this now. Then when they feel good about it, well give them a little bit more.

DE AVERY MOSS

Defensive Line Coach Patrick Graham: Avery Moss, my buzzword is diligent. He is very diligent in working in the classroom and on the field. Hes a rookie, so hes learning to work through the system and work through the meeting time and the grind of the day-to-day in the NFL. I think on the field hes definitely shown why we wanted to get him, and I think well see how it plays out in the competition in training camp.

OT ADAM BISNOWATY

Offensive Line Coach Mike Solari: Its still early, but right now weve got him at right tackle. But again, hes a guy that has versatility. He could go to guard. He has played a little guard in his career, but obviously left tackle [mostly in college]. Right now we like him at right tackle. Were trying to get him as many reps as possible, just again, so when training camp comes, these young rookies are ready to compete.

Read more:

Coaches give latest updates on Giants rookies' progress - Giants.com (blog)

RIVERSIDE Just run and jump.

The secret to being a good long jumper is probably more complex, but running fast and jumping is a good way to start.

For UC Riversides Tayler Fleming, that was enough to earn the Highlander junior a spot in the NCAA Track and Field Championships this week at the University of Oregon.

The former hurdler at Riverside King High made the transition to collegiate long jumper last season and knew she was onto something.

I watched (the NCAA championships) last year on TV and said I was going to be there. Im going to do that. Its within reach.

Thats a bold statement for someone just learning the event, but Flemings natural athleticism proved hard to match. She became a heptathlete last season and placed second at the Big West championships. She was a quick study, particularly in the long jump, where she set the UCR record of 20 feet,11.75 inches, last year on the way to winning the Big West title. She also set a school record in the heptathlon.

When I started I was a good jumper but technique-wise I didnt know what I was doing, Fleming said, adding her speed helped overcome her inexperience in the event.

This season was supposed to be about improvement and continuing to perfect the nuances of the long jump. Fleming also wanted to challenge for the heptathlon title at the Big West championships, but her season was slowed by injuries. A few weeks of missed practice meant she had to basically restart her training and reboot her season.

She showed a lot of resiliency coming into regionals, Coach Dan Newell said.

Fleming said she was disappointed after finishing third in the heptathlon and second in the long jump with a leap of 19-06.75 at this years Big West Championships. But the NCAA regional was a chance for redemption and a chance to make the NCAA championships.

My confidence was kind of shot, Fleming said. Going into regionals I just wanted to have fun and enjoy it. Nothing else matters at this moment.

Fleming saved her best for last at the regional meet, leaping a season-best 20-8.5 on her final attempt. She waited as other jumpers finished, but her mark held up to tie for 11th place and secured the final NCAA championship qualifying spot.

That was my goal, she said. I was so excited.

Two weeks later as she prepares for the biggest meet of her career, Fleming said shes still amazed by the progress shes made in a relatively short amount of time.

Im completely surprised how far long jump has taken me, no pun intended, she said, adding that expectations will be even higher next year as she continues to improve on her technique.

Jumping higher leads to jumping further. Thats been the emphasis of training, Newell said. Flemings speed gives her an advantage, but once she learns to consistently combine it with the perfect takeoff she will be hard to beat. The process is ongoing.

She naturally had some good jumping potential that was untapped, Newell said. Its really worked out for her.

NCAA DIVISION I TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Wednesday-Saturday

Hayward Field

University of Oregon

The long jump competition is Thursday at 6 p.m. Two flights with 12 jumpers each from the East and West regionals will compete. The top nine overall after three jumps compete in the finals.

Read the rest here:

Still a work in progress, UC Riverside's Tayler Fleming leaps into NCAA championships - Press-Enterprise

NBCSports.com

Teddy Bridgewater surprised coach with two weeks of progress ... NBCSports.com Vikings coach Mike Zimmer was gone for two weeks, and he's still recovering from his latest eye surgery. But he could easily see a difference in quarterback ... Minnesota Vikings QB Teddy Bridgewater making progressUPI.com all 19 news articles »

Read this article:

Teddy Bridgewater surprised coach with two weeks of progress ... - NBCSports.com

The search to expand upon the progress made by checkpoint inhibitors Keytruda and Opdivo and others has put the spotlight on several novel mechanisms. IDO inhibition appears poised to be the next advance after release of data at Asco showing a benefit when used in combination with the Merck & Co (NYSE:MRK) and Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY) drugs.

Leading the pack is Incyte's (NASDAQ:INCY) epacadostat, which had detailed phase I/II Keytruda combo data that support pivotal trials in three types of cancer. Incyte's combination-agnostic approach has also enabled it to confirm clinical benefit with Opdivo, showing responses in melanoma and head and neck cancers.

Building evidence

Epacadostat is not the only IDO inhibitor in the clinic. Newlink Genetics' (NASDAQ:NLNK) two assets, indoximod and the Roche (OTCQX:RHHBY)-partnered RG6078 had data at Asco, along with Danish group IO Biotech's IO102.

But Incyte's project so far has generated the richest body of evidence. Thanks to the adaptive design of the Echo-202/Keynote-037 trial with Keytruda, Incyte was able to present efficacy data in head and neck, non-small cell lung, renal cell, triple-negative breast and ovarian cancer, along with pooled safety data.

Breast and ovarian cancer do not look promising - in the former, 30 of 37 patients had progressed or died at a median follow-up of 20.8 weeks, while in ovarian cancer 26 of 34 patients had progressed or died at a median follow-up of 23 weeks. Objective response rates of 10% in breast cancer and 8% in ovarian, with no complete responses, are not very persuasive.

On the other hand, the signs have been strong enough in numerous other diseases to proceed into phase III (Incyte dramatically ups the immuno-oncology combo ante, April 3, 2017).

At Asco, Incyte also featured lung, urothelial, head and neck and kidney cancer (see table).

Ovarian out

With the other leading PD-1, Opdivo, also reporting disappointing data in ovarian cancer in combination with epacadostat, it is safe to say that in the absence of a signal in subgroups this indication might not be one where the IDO inhibitors will be used.

On the other hand, the Opdivo-epacadostat pairing also had data in head and neck cancer - cross-trial comparisons are tricky with small patient numbers, but Opdivo and Keytruda look pretty similar at this early stage of development (see table).

Moreover, the 58% partial response rate in a melanoma cohort in the Echo-204 trial yielded the best objective response rate seen at Asco - not surprising since the skin cancer is the most responsive to immunotherapy. And Incyte has announced plans to advance the Keytruda-epacadostat combination into phase III in melanoma.

Amid the advances for epacadostat, Newlink's two IDO inhibitors were trying to remain relevant. RG6078 was tested in a phase I dose escalation trial with Tecentriq in solid tumors in which 9% of patient showed a partial response and 24% had stable disease.

Indoximod was tested following treatment with Valeant's (NYSE:VRX) Provenge in metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer - patients taking the IDO inhibitor had a median progression free survival of 10.3 months compared with 4.1 months for patients taking placebo.

IO Biotech, meanwhile, had a poster on its planned phase II trial of IO102 in combination with checkpoint inhibitors in advanced, metastatic non-small cell lung cancer.

IDO inhibition shows promise, but the onrush of combination trials with PD-1 inhibitors means that it has to fight for attention (Immuno-oncology combinations surge as sector seeks the fairy dust, June 1, 2017).

Nonetheless, combining two checkpoint inhibitors remains an attractive choice, and medical meetings next year may very well show whether that attraction was worthwhile.

Editor's Note: This article discusses one or more securities that do not trade on a major U.S. exchange. Please be aware of the risks associated with these stocks.

Read the original here:

Solid Progress For IDO Inhibitors | Seeking Alpha - Seeking Alpha

FRISCO, Texas Strictly speaking, Wednesday was just another day for Jaylon Smith.

The second-year linebacker followed his usual schedule, participating in the Cowboys OTAs after taking a day off. He did a full complement of individual and special teams drills, followed by a small amount of seven-on-seven participation.

Im just doing everything Ive been doing, taking it day by day and performing at a high level, Smith said.

The difference was that Wednesdays practice was one of just three to take place in front of reporters, who are allowed to view just one OTA per week. So as far as the cameras are concerned, Wednesday marked the media has seen the young linebacker practicing since he was drafted last year.

We certainly love the progress that hes made and are excited about what hes been doing up to this point, said Cowboys coach Jason Garrett. Hes getting better and better and better. Hes getting more and more comfortable with the football movements.

Its been interesting to follow Smiths progress since the Cowboys revealed their game plan for his offseason. He has practiced twice a week since OTAs started, skipping the Wednesday session. But with OTAs starting on Monday for this final week, Smith took Tuesday off and was available for the open practice.

It was pretty intense individual work and getting some seven-on-seven in, some special teams, Smith said.

Thats all incredibly encouraging to hear, but its also just one more step in what has been a long journey. Smith has obviously overcome plenty in the 15-month span since he tore both his ACL and LCL, as well as damaging his peroneal nerve in his final college football game.

But, as defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli pointed out, pads are everything and Smith hasnt quite reached that level yet.

Hes going through Stage 1 here, and its good stuff so far, Marinelli said. But to me its just step by step progress. Try not to see it more than what it is. Its just day by day progress.

That naturally poses an obvious question what is the next step. Garrett said that Smith will operate on a similar schedule during the Cowboys mandatory minicamp next week, meaning hell go through two limited practices and take one rest day.

Garrett didnt want to detail exactly what the plan would look like for training camp, but he allowed that it would probably be somewhat similar.

Well have an analogous plan. Im not going to say its going to be exactly the same, he said. But well do something like this with him and some of the other guys who are coming back from injuries.

It makes sense to be follow that approach not to give a recovering player too much before hes ready. But Garrett was asked if, at some point, he needs to find out what Smith is capable of in order to know if the Cowboys can rely on him.

Even that is a process that will play out step by step.

Within the confines of what were asking him to do, were really cutting him loose him every day, Garrett said. Hes responded so well to that. And as you go day by day and week by week, you increase the threshold.

Itll be fascinating to see how that threshold develops in the coming months, particularly when the Cowboys get to training camp and begin the grind of daily practices not to mention a whopping five preseason games.

While hes working toward those next steps, Smith said hes proud of how far hes already come.

Coming in drafted, coming off a severe injury, I understood it was going to be a process, and I truly embraced it, he said. Now that Im getting back to football, participating, being a part of the team, being a part of the guys being a part of this culture that weve built Im just embracing it.

View post:

As OTAs Come To An End, Cowboys Encouraged By Jaylon Smith's Progress - DallasCowboys.com

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) Christian Hackenberg has plenty of critics, many of whom think the New York Jets second-year quarterback will never be an NFL starter.

And thats before the former Penn State starter has even played in a regular-season game.

Thats their opinions, Hackenberg said of the naysayers. I cant really speak for them, whoever it is.

Hackenberg was drafted in the second round last year, a pick some thought was a reach because of his struggles with the Nittany Lions in his last two seasons following a fabulous freshman campaign. He was widely considered a project who needed work on his mechanics, footwork and overall approach.

It didnt help that Hackenberg went 17 of 47 for 159 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions in his two preseason appearances last summer. And, even as the quarterbacks carousel spun with Ryan Fitzpatrick, Geno Smith and Bryce Petty taking turns under center during the regular season, Hackenberg never saw the field.

I know what I can do, Hackenberg said. And I know what my coaching staff feels I can do, so Im just confident in my abilities. And when I get my opportunity to play, Im going to do that.

Sounds like a guy who knows he has lots to prove to everyone other than himself.

Im confident that I can play at this level, and play at a high level, he said. So, when I get my opportunity, Im going to take advantage of that.

Hackenberg is competing with Petty and veteran Josh McCown for the starting job in what the Jets have characterized as an open competition that might not be decided until sometime in training camp.

McCown is the early favorite to be under center in Week 1 at Buffalo on Sept. 10, having worked mostly with the starters during practices open to the media. But with New Yorks offseason purge of veteran stars, including wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker, the franchises sights are firmly set on the future.

Hackenberg will get the chance to show whether he can be the quarterback to lead the Jets this season and perhaps beyond. At 6-foot-4 and a solid 228 pounds with a cannon arm, Hackenberg certainly looks the part.

I love the way he prepares and the way he competes, offensive coordinator John Morton said at the start of organized activities two weeks ago. Im talking about competing in the classroom, too. Guys have to learn to do that, and be a pro and be a student of the game and learn to take notes and those things. Hes doing those things.

On one play at practice, he can hit a receiver with a pretty back-shoulder toss in the end zone. But then, he can also have some ugly throws that could be interceptions.

Thats how it has been so far this offseason for Hackenberg. Some ups, some downs and even some progress while learning Mortons offense.

Im not going to say night and day, but definitely just being able to go through it, its been really good, Hackenberg said. I feel a lot better going in there, having a greater understanding of whats going on.

Hes no longer the wide-eyed rookie trying to navigate his way through the basics of life in the NFL. The plays on the field are also coming to him a lot easier, even compared to a few months ago.

I think were getting to a point where Im not even thinking about it, Hackenberg said, and Im feeling that right now.

Hackenberg has been a starting quarterback since high school, so sitting out all of last season a redshirt year took some getting used to. It was a humbling experience in which Hackenberg had to keep his ego in check.

I really cant change it, Hackenberg said. It was in the past. It is what it is. But I think if youre a negative person, you kind of think about it negatively and you say, `Dang, I wish I had a chance. I dont want to fill my mind with that type of negativity.

Id rather focus on the positives of it and take what I learned from it, the good from it. Thats how I kind of look at last year: I try and take the positives out of it and go from there.

Hackenberg has been working closely with new quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates, the two often seen chatting during practice. Theres still plenty of work to be done, of course, but Hackenberg could end up working his way onto the field during a game and silencing all of the doubters.

I think Ive grown in a lot of ways, he said. Its a long road, but I feel good where Im at right now.

For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL

Read more here:

Jets' Hackenberg ignores critics, focuses on making progress - FOXSports.com

President Trump signs a letter of initiative Tuesday to privatize the nation's air traffic control system during an event staged to resemble an official signing ceremony.

Getty Images

Donald Trump, you may have noticed, is not terribly good at being president. Nearly five months into his term, the White House seems stymied by its own ineptitude and a Congress that Trump has found more difficult to command than the underlings he bossed around for the past 40 years. Naturally that hasnt stopped him from continuing to make moribund promisesBloombergs Toluse Olorunnipa writes Monday morning that the administration reliably misses its self-imposed deadlines on just about everything it sets out to door shifting blame. On Monday, for instance, Trump attacked Democrats for stalling his nominations. Dems are taking forever to approve my people, including Ambassadors, he tweeted. They are nothing but OBSTRUCTIONISTS! For the most part, Democrats havent even been sent nominations to obstruct. The administration has yet to nominate candidates for hundreds of key positions, and as Politicos Seung Min Kim writes, the administration frequently takes weeks to formally submit the nominations of the candidates it does name:

And McAleenans nomination is far from alone in taking weeks to be sent to the Senate, where Republicans are growing impatient and bewildered with the Trump White Houses historic lag in filling administration posts.

[...]Its unclear exactly why the Trump White House has been so slow to officially submit some nominees paperwork, but it comes amid broader struggles by the new president to vet senior officials and staff his administration.

Of course, Trumps woes in office thus far arent purely the consequence of inexperience. The presidents inability to meet his own deadlines highlights his struggle adjusting to the pace of Washington, Olorunnipa writes.That's only partially truehis record thus far also highlights his craven dishonesty. Trump has, after all, spent many years jilting, shortchanging, and letting down parties ranging from contractors to his own wives. Relatedly, two recent stories suggest that the administration might be leaning more heavily on one of its favored strategies for overcoming its lack of progress: faking it.

On Monday, the Brookings Institutions Bruce Riedel reported that according to defense industry and congressional contacts, the $110 billion arms deal reportedly struck between the Trump administration and Saudi Arabia is largely illusory. From Brookings:

According to Riedel, the Saudis and the Trump administration compiled a list of potential deals either considered or approved by the Obama administration and presented them as a new deal. Moreover, its unlikely that the Saudis could pay for a $110 billion deal any longer, due to low oil prices and the two-plus years old war in Yemen, he writes. What is coming soon is a billion-dollars deal for more munitions for the war in Yemen. The Royal Saudi Air Force needs more munitions to continue the air bombardment of the Arab worlds poorest country.

Also on Monday, the New York Times Julie Hirschfield Davis noted that Trumps unveiling of his plan to privatize the nations air traffic control had been staged to resemble signing ceremonies for actual legislation:

This kind of stagecraft and deception, of course, isnt new. But these charades are and will continue to be particularly useful for a shambolic administration that has few achievements thus far. Useful, that is, as long as the media covers his nonevents and empty pronouncements as though Trump isn't fundamentally a huckster.

Read the original:

Trump's Solution to His Administration's Lack of Progress: Lying About It - Slate Magazine (blog)

Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater goes through a resistance drill at Vikings practice on Tuesday.

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- While Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmer was able to pore over film of the team's practices during the two weeks of organized team activities he missed while recovering from eye surgery, he didn't get much of a sense of how quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was doing in rehab from his knee injury.

So when Zimmer returned to the team's practice facility on Monday for the final week of Vikings OTAs, Bridgewater's progress caught him off-guard to some degree.

"Sometimes, when you see a guy every day, you don't notice the progress that he's made," Zimmer said. "I'm gone for two weeks, and obviously, he's not on the tape. I come back yesterday, and I said, 'Wow, Teddy looks [like] he's moving better,' and quite a bit better, in my opinion."

Bridgewater was able to get more work in the Vikings' team drills during Tuesday's open practice, dropping back and lofting a long pass for Isaac Fruechte during individual drills. He's still a long way from returning, and has yet to be cleared by doctors to practice, but the Vikings sound a bit more hopeful about Bridgewater's progress with each passing week.

"I think he's happy with the progress. He's very impatient about wanting to get out there and go, but we have to do what's in the best interests of him in the long run. In the end, the final say is going to be the doctors, when they say he's good to go. They gave him the green light to do a little bit more stuff on the side, as you saw today. It's just going to continue to take time."

Original post:

Teddy Bridgewater's progress surprises Mike Zimmer in his return - ESPN (blog)

A Blue Origin BE-4 engine powerpack undergoing testing on a company test stand. Credit: Blue Origin

An Air Force acquisition official said the service is looking how to progress forward on engine development after a BE-4 testing incident.

Lt. Gen. Arnold Bunch said Monday that he was aware of last months setback by Blue Origin, which said it lost a set of engine powerpack hardware during a test.

He said he was working with the Space and Missile Systems Center to figure out how to progress forward on efforts to develop a replacement for the RD-180 engine, work that includes funding of another engine, Aerojet Rocketdynes AR1, as well. [Investors Business Daily]

More News

India is basking in the successful first launch of its largest rocket to date. The Indian space agency ISRO said the GSLV Mark 3 rocket operated as planned, releasing the GSAT-19 satellite into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) about 16 minutes after liftoff Monday. The GSLV Mark 3 can place up to 4,000 kilograms into GTO, mch more than earlier versions of the rocket. The rocket could also be used for a future Indian human spaceflight program, although there is no major effort currently underway by ISRO to launch humans into space. GSAT-19, weighing 3,166 kilograms at launch, carries a Ka- and Ku-band high-throughput payload. [PTI]

Ahead of its merger with MDA, DigitalGlobe is already offering access to Radarsat data. DigitalGlobe said Monday it now includes Radarsat 2 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery as part of its cloud-based geospatial big data platform called GBDX. That platform already includes optical imagery from DigitalGlobes own satellites as wellas Landsat and Sentinel data. MDA, which operates Radarsat 2, announced plans in February to acquire DigitalGlobe, a deal expected to close later this year. [SpaceNews]

A Dragon cargo spacecraft arrived at the International Space Station Monday morning. The Dragon, flying a cargo resupply mission designated SpX-11 by NASA, was grappled by the stations robotic arm shortly before 10 a.m. Eastern and berthed to the station later in the day. The Dragon brought more than 2,700 kilograms of cargo, primarily experiments and related hardware, to the station. The mission is the second flight of the same Dragon spacecraft, which flew the SpX-4 mission in 2014. [Spaceflight Now]

A startup is working on its first SAR cubesat after closing a funding round and lining up its first customer. Capella Space closed a $12 million Series A round in May after an undisclosed customer paid $10 million up front for access to SAR imagery from the companys first satellite. That spacecraft, scheduled for launch in the next six months, will later be joined by dozens more to provide global SAR imagery at a resolution of one meter, updated hourly. [SpaceNews]

The flight of a Chinese experiment on the latest Dragon mission could open new doors for U.S.-China space cooperation. The experiments on the Dragon mission include an experiment developed by the Beijing Institute of Technology to test the biological effects of space radiation and flown through an agreement with NanoRacks. The commercial arrangement between NanoRacks and its Chinese customer is not subject to federal bans on bilateral cooperation between NASA and China, and people in both the U.S. and China believe it could help enable more space cooperation between the the two countries. [Xinhua]

GEOINT 2017 news: An expert in geospatial intelligence advised the community to keep in mind the needs of users in the field. Patrick Biltgen, the technical director of analytics for Vencore, said developers of such systems have to make their solutions useful for troops deployed in the field with limited network access. DigitalGlobe unveiled a subscription service called SecureWatch Sites that allows users to identify specific geographic locations of interest and obtain frequently updated satellite images of those locations. Descartes Labs presented a new geospatial machine-learning platform to potential defense and intelligence customers that pulls in remote-sensing data from a variety of sources. Planet announced plans to offer data from its constellation of global Earth-imaging cubesats through Harris Geospatials ENVI desktop platform. [SpaceNews]

British astronaut Tim Peakes second spaceflight could be in jeopardy because of a funding dispute. The British government said in January that Peake, who flew on the ISS in 2015-2016, would get another flight as part of the governments commitment to ESAs human spaceflight program. However, ESA has reportedly asked the UK to significantly increase its contribution to that program, which the UK has apprently declined to do. Other ESA members argued that the UK got a discount on its first flight and should pay its fair share of the program for another flight opportunity. [Financial Times]

OneWeb formally abandoned its merger with Intelsat last Friday, as expected. The merger was all but dead last week when Intelsat gave up on efforts to swap debt with bondholders, a condition of the merger deal and financial backing from Japans SoftBank. OneWeb formally withdrew from the merger deal late Friday. The two companies will continue to collaborate commercially, and OneWeb founder Greg Wyler said his company is still on track to deploy its broadband low Earth orbit constellation. [SpaceNews]

Russia plans to launch the first in a new generation of navigation satellites next year. Russian satellite manufacturer ISS Reshetnev said Monday that it expects the first Glonass-K2 satellite to launch some time next year. The K2 series of satellites feature addiitonal signals and power, with each satellite weighing twice as much as the earlier K1 series. [TASS]

Astronomers have found an exoplanet that is hotter than many stars. The Jupiter-sized planet, KELT-9b, is so close to its star it completes one orbit in just 1.5 days. The side of the planet facing the star has temperatures of 4,300 degrees Celsius, `approaching the temperature of the suns photosphere of 6,000 degrees. Astronomers said that, because of its intense heat, the planets atmosphere is almost certainly unlike any other planet weve ever seen and that the stars ultraviolet radiation may ultimately evaporate the planet. [Space.com]

William Shatner wants to create a TV series highlighting NASAs rising stars. Shatner, best known for portraying Capt. James T. Kirk on Star Trek, spoke at the GEOINT 2017 conference Monday and pitched his proposed The Young Guns of NASA series. The series seeks to profile young scientists who are involved in planning new things at NASA, JPL and find out what they want to do in space. [SpaceNews]

Here is the original post:

Air Force looking how to progress forward after BE-4 testing incident, official says - SpaceNews

SOUTHWEST ASIA, June 6, 2017 The Syrian Democratic Forces and their Syrian Arab Coalition partners launched the offensive to unseat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria from its so-called "capital" of Raqqa in northern Syria today.

The SAC and SDF began marching on Raqqa in November and have been rapidly tightening the noose around the city since their air assault behind enemy lines in coalition aircraft in March to begin the seizure of Tabqah.

The multi-ethnic SDF is the coalitions local ground force partner in the fight against ISIS in northern Syria and they have proven themselves in Manbij, Tabqah and countless other towns and villages across northwest Syria over the past two years.

Decisive Blow

Army Lt. Gen. Steve Townsend, the commander of Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve, said the fight for Raqqa will be long and difficult, but the offensive would deliver a decisive blow to the idea of ISIS as a physical caliphate saying, "Its hard to convince new recruits that ISIS is a winning cause when they just lost their twin 'capitals' in both Iraq and Syria," he said.

"We all saw the heinous attack in Manchester, England," Townsend said. "ISIS threatens all of our nations, not just Iraq and Syria, but in our own homelands as well. This cannot stand."

Coalition forces will continue to support the SAC and SDF during their Raqqa offensive as part of their advise and assist mission, providing equipment, training, intelligence and logistics support, precision fires and battlefield advice.

The SDF have encouraged civilians to depart Raqqa so that they do not become trapped, used as human shields or targets for ISIS snipers. Once Raqqa is liberated, SDF officials said it will be turned over to a representative body of local civilians who will provide security and governance.

Mosul

In Iraq, Iraqi forces continue to make steady gains in brutal, close-quarters urban combat against ISIS on the west side of Mosul.

"The international coalition and our partner forces are steadily dismantling the physical caliphate of ISIS," Townsend said. "Once ISIS is defeated in both Mosul and Raqqa, there will still be a lot of hard fighting ahead, but this coalition is strong and committed to the complete annihilation of ISIS in both Iraq and Syria."

View post:

SDF Begins Raqqa Offensive, Progress Continues in Mosul - Department of Defense

With your existing account from... {* loginWidget *} With a traditional account... {* #signInForm *} {* signInEmailAddress *} {* currentPassword *} {* /signInForm *} Welcome back, {* welcomeName *} {* loginWidget *} Welcome back! {* #signInForm *} {* signInEmailAddress *} {* currentPassword *}

Sign In

Your account has been deactivated.

You must verify your email address before signing in. Check your email for your verification email, or enter your email address in the form below to resend the email.

Please confirm the information below before signing in. Sign In

We have sent a confirmation email to {* emailAddressData *}. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account.

We've sent an email with instructions to create a new password. Your existing password has not been changed.

{| foundExistingAccountText |} {| current_emailAddress |}.

{| existing_displayName |} {| existing_provider_emailAddress |}

Created {| existing_createdDate |} at {| existing_siteName |}

Thank you for verifiying your email address.

Check your email for a link to reset your password.

Thank you for verifiying your email address.

Password has been successfully updated.

We didn't recognize that password reset code. Enter your email address to get a new one.

We've sent an email with instructions to create a new password. Your existing password has not been changed.

{* photoManager *}

{* loginWidget *}

{* publicPrivate *} {* journalistContact *} {* aboutMe *} {* usernameTwPublic *} {* preferedContactLanguages *} {* arabicUsername *} {* persianUsername *} {* skypeId *} {* usernameTw *} {* journalistContact *} {* publicPrivate *} {* profession *}

{* newsMenu *} {* optinalert *} {* optinBestofWeek *} {* optinBestofWEnd *} {* optinBestofObs *}

{* newsMenuEn *} {* optinalertEn *} {* optinBestofWeekEn *} {* optinBestofWEndEn *} {* optinBestofObsEn *}

{* newsMenuAr *} {* optinalertAr *} {* optinBestofWeekAr *} {* optinBestofWEndAr *} {* optinBestofObsAr *}

{* newsMenuEs *} {* optinalertEs *} {* optinbestofweekEs *} {* optinbestofwendEs *}

{* optinQuotidienne *} {* optinBreaking *}

{* optinAutopromo *} {* optinPartenaires *}

{* optinActuMonde *} {* optinActuAfrique *} {* optinAlert *} {* optinRfiAfriqueFootFr *} {* optinMfi *} {* optinActuMusique *} {* optinOffreRfi *} {* optinOffrePartenaire *}

{* savedProfileMessage *}

Are you sure you want to deactivate your account? You will no longer have access to your profile.

Link:

France 'must make progress' on labour reforms, says French PM - FRANCE 24

Dear Members of the Stanford Community,

We write to let you know that Stanford has signed on to a statement on tackling climate change issued by a number of Ivy-Plus universities on Monday. We have included the statement text below. Our commitment to leadership on this issue remains undiminished.

Our work at Stanford includes developing sustainable operational practices for our campus, engaging in the research and education that will lead to improved understanding of the causes and effects of a warming planet, and developing solutions to slow climate change and mitigate its effects.

We undertake these efforts because we acknowledge the imperative. The scientifically documented rise in global average temperature has far-reaching implications for the environment, the economy, social stability, food security, human health and international relations. As part of our mission to contribute knowledge for the benefit of humanity, we and our peer research universities have an important role to play.

In our operations, we have taken a major step with the Stanford Energy System Innovations (SESI), which is reducing campus greenhouse gas emissions by 68 percent. Thanks to our new solar plant and expanded rooftop panels, we are now obtaining 65 percent of campus electricity from solar and other renewable resources. Our campus-wide Sustainable Stanford movement, with initiatives like My Cardinal Green, is involving students, faculty and staff in efforts to reduce our personal environmental footprint. And we continually seek ways of doing more, and better.

In our academic enterprise, meanwhile, we have some of the worlds leading contributors to scientific and policy knowledge about climate. They are exploring carbon-removal technologies, more efficient batteries for storing renewable energy, implications of human displacement from sea rise, and numerous other urgent subjects related to the climate challenge. Our students are actively participating in coursework, research and public service to advance climate understanding and solutions, as well.

The Board of Trustees and then-President Hennessy articulated Stanfords commitment to these efforts in a letter to the conveners of the Paris climate conference in 2015. Today we reaffirm the importance of these efforts and our resolve to make further progress.

We also are featuring on the Stanford website a collection of recent stories about how Stanford is contributing to the international scientific and policy discussions around climate change. We encourage you to take a look at the path-breaking work being done by students and scholars in our community. And we hope youll be inspired to consider anew how you will contribute, individually, to the sustainability of our planet.

Marc Tessier-Lavigne President

Persis Drell Provost

The following statement was released today by the presidents of 12 leading U.S. research universities, commonly referred to as the Ivy-Plus group.

June 5, 2017

In 2015, we were proud to be among 318 institutions of higher education in signing the American Campuses Act on Climate Pledge, affirming our commitment to accelerate the global transition to low-carbon energy while enhancing sustainable and resilient practices on our campuses.

Today, we reaffirm that commitment, which is consistent with the Paris Agreement and recognizes the concerted action that is needed at every level to slow, and ultimately prevent, the rise in the global average temperature and to facilitate the transition to a clean energy economy. Universities have a critical role to play in reducing our own greenhouse gas emissions, continuing to advance evidence-based understanding of the causes and effects of climate change on the environment, the economy and public health, and developing solutions.

The scientific consensus is clear that the climate is changing largely due to human activity, that the consequences of climate change are accelerating, and that the imperative of a low carbon future is increasingly urgent. As institutions of higher education, we remain committed to a broad-based global agreement on climate change and will do our part to ensure the United States can meet its contribution.

Signed:

Christina Paxson, President, Brown University Lee C. Bollinger, President, Columbia University Martha E. Pollack, President, Cornell University Philip J. Hanlon, President, Dartmouth College Richard H. Brodhead, President, Duke University John J. DeGioia, President, Georgetown University Drew Gilpin Faust, President, Harvard University Ronald J. Daniels, President, Johns Hopkins University L. Rafael Reif, President, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Marc Tessier-Lavigne, President, Stanford University Amy Gutmann, President, University of Pennsylvania Peter Salovey, President, Yale University

American Campuses Act on Climate Pledge (2015)

As institutions of higher education, we applaud the progress already made to promote clean energy and climate action as we seek a comprehensive, ambitious agreement at the upcoming United Nations Climate Negotiations in Paris. We recognize the urgent need to act now to avoid irreversible costs to our global communitys economic prosperity and public health and are optimistic that world leaders will reach an agreement to secure a transition to a low carbon future. Today our school pledges to accelerate the transition to low-carbon energy while enhancing sustainable and resilient practices across our campus.

Visit link:

Message on Stanford's commitment to progress on climate change ... - Stanford University News

Common Dreams

Want to See US Climate Progress? Support City and State Leaders and the Grassroots Groups Who Hold Them ... Common Dreams Supporting those cities and states (and the grassroots coalitions that hold them accountable) provides a significant opportunity for progress on climate change and for making gains on health, equity, and economic vitality. Hours after President Trump ... Schwarzenegger on Paris agreement: 'One man cannot destroy our progress'CNN Chris Bryant: Trump can't stop climate progressThe Spokesman-Review Donald Trump Is Bragging About the Progress of a Tax Bill That Doesn't ExistTeenVogue.com ThinkProgress all 16,409 news articles »

Read more:

Want to See US Climate Progress? Support City and State Leaders and the Grassroots Groups Who Hold Them ... - Common Dreams