Worldwide genome research could change the course of medical history – The Big Smoke Australia

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We may have mapped the human genome in 2003, but a new worldwide study has discovered the links between our genes and the conditions that ail us.

In this time of extra focus on health, allow me one more story from the brave new world of medical research. Every day, twenty American war veterans kill themselves. That is fifteen percent of the total amount of Americans who take their own lives each year; a disproportionally high number. A few weeks ago, the American Department of Veteran Affairs learnt a little more about why that might be the case.

While trauma is involved, surprisingly so is genetics. Research that looked at an astounding 200,000 veterans, concluded that quite a few of them were susceptible to anxiety and depression even before they were sent to Afghanistan or another warzone. In fact, in an astonishing number, there was a problem with a gene called MAD1C1, that is also implicated in bipolar disease and schizophrenia. On top of that, there were five other genetic variants that are linked to anxiety that were more prevalent in this group. Obviously, this is important information. Not only will it now be possible to better predict who should and shouldnt go to war, but deaths can also be prevented by teaching people how to cope before the shit hits the fan.

With 200,000 participants, this research is the largest ever study into anxiety in the world. But it is not the only mass investigation into illness that is going on at the moment. In fact, bigger is definitely better at almost all laboratories on the planet. For instance, a few months ago researchers looked closer at insomnia than had ever been possible before: 1.3 million people were involved, and 956 genes were found that could hold the key to solving a problem that a third of the general population suffers from. An issue, too, that is implicated in all manner of mental health issues, as well as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

This kind of research is part of Genome-Wide Association Studies that are taking place from New York to Melbourne and Cape Town to Oslo. As you may remember, in 2003 the Human Genome Project was completed, and that meant that suddenly researchers could look into genetic contributions to common diseases better than ever before.

Until the human genome was mapped, the only way to look at the role genes played in illnesses was to study families. That was relatively successful if they were suffering from a single gene disorder, but not so much if it was more complicated than that. But after humanity cracked the gene code in 2003, Biobanks started springing up everywhere. At the moment, weve got forty-five in NSW alone, and the largest in the southern hemisphere is at the RPA in Camperdown. It is run by NSW Health and stores more than three million human samples for use in research. Usually, that is left-over tissue from an operation, biopsy or blood test, of course, donated with written consent. At Camperdown, researchers can apply for access to those samples, so they can investigate whatever illness they are looking at at a much larger scale than pre-2003.

These studies, as usual, involve one group of people with an illness and a control group without. But because so many samples are available, it is possible to look at enormous populations. That means you are casting a wide net, but because there is no hypothesis before you start, anything can happen. The focus, of course, is finding the genes that are associated with a particular disease. And once youve found those, you can zoom in and look a little closer. This has two consequences: first of all, that you can know more about more illnesses much faster than before. Secondly, it is laying the groundwork for personalised medicine.

In the near future, it will no longer be one size fits all (like one type of chemo for everybody with bowel cancer, for instance). Treatments will be tailored to one individual patient, because when we know more about one persons particular gene make-up it is easier to design something that will be just right for them. Not just when they are already sick, but even in the prevention of that illness. Less guesswork, less adverse reactions to treatments, fewer mistakes.

Of course, there are limitations. Not everything can be explained by looking at genes, for instance, and every person responds differently to disease, which makes treatment still complicated. Also, completing a complete genome sequencing is still expensive. And the problem with quite a few of the Biobanks is that the owners of the samples are generally white and Western. Apart from that, just knowing which genes are associated with a disease is only the beginning.

The challenge is the road from that knowledge to new drugs, diagnostics and maybe prevention. Nevertheless, so far over three thousand GWA studies have been done, into almost two thousand different diseases. We now know more about what causes heart attacks (from a study started in 2004), have found a protein that is involved in producing macular degeneration and can pinpoint genes that are related to risky behaviour, like driving too fast, smoking, drinking and having high-risk sex. We have found the genes connected to intelligence, obesity, schizophrenia, childhood aggression, antisocial behaviour, depression and all manner of other things.

There are Biobanks in NSW that specialise in melanoma, stroke, sleep, childrens cancer, gynaecological issues and problems with the brain. I know it is a little brave new world, and we need to be careful it doesnt turn into an Orwellian nightmare. But limitless possibilities, and hope for those who are sick: there is something to be said for that, isnt there?

For this story I have used the following sources:

https://nsw.biobanking.org/locator

https://www.smh.com.au/healthcare/biggest-biobank-in-the-southern-hemisphere-to-revolutionise-medical-research-in-nsw-20171113-gzk5os.html

NSW Health Statewide Biobank

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331328430_Genome-wide_analysis_of_insomnia_in_1331010_individuals_identifies_new_risk_loci_and_functional_pathways

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/330368016_Genome-wide_association_analyses_of_risk_tolerance_and_risky_behaviors_in_over_1_million_individuals_identify_hundreds_of_loci_and_shared_genetic_influences

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/330368016_Genome-wide_association_analyses_of_risk_tolerance_and_risky_behaviors_in_over_1_million_individuals_identify_hundreds_of_loci_and_shared_genetic_influences

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/09/health/anxiety-genetic-association-wellness-trnd/index.html?utm_source=twCNN&utm_content=2020-01-10T05%3A09%3A03&utm_medium=social&utm_term=link

https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/suicide_prevention/data.asp

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Worldwide genome research could change the course of medical history - The Big Smoke Australia

A COVID-19 vaccine may come soon. Will the blistering pace backfire? – Science News

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In January, vaccine researchers lined up on the starting blocks, waiting to hear a pistol. That shot came on January 10, when scientists in China announced the complete genetic makeup of the novel coronavirus. With that information in hand, the headlong race toward a vaccine began.

As the virus, now known as SARS-CoV-2, began to spread like wildfire around the globe, researchers sprinted to catch up with treatments and vaccines. Now, six months later, there is still no cure and no preventative for the disease caused by the virus, COVID-19, though there are glimmers of hope. Studies show that two drugs can help treat the sick: The antiviral remdesivir shortens recovery times (SN: 4/29/20) and a steroid called dexamethasone reduces deaths among people hospitalized with COVID-19 who need help breathing (SN: 6/16/20).

But the finish line in this race remains a safe and effective vaccine. With nearly 180 vaccine candidates now being tested in lab dishes, animals and even already in humans, that end may be in sight. Some experts predict that a vaccine may be available for emergency use for the general public by the end of the year even before it receives expedited U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval.

Velocity might come at the expense of safety and efficacy, some experts worry. And that could stymie efforts to convince enough people to get the vaccine in order to build the herd immunity needed to end the pandemic.

Were calling for transparency of data, says Esther Krofah, executive director of FasterCures, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit. We want things to accelerate meaningfully in a way that does not compromise safety or the science, but we need to see the data, she says.

Traditionally, vaccines are made from weakened or killed viruses, or virus fragments. But producing large amounts of vaccine that way can take years, because such vaccines must be made in cells (SN: 7/7/20), which often arent easy to grow in large quantities.

Getting an early good look at the coronaviruss genetic makeup created a shortcut. It let scientists quickly harness the viruss genetic information to make copies of a crucial piece of SARS-CoV-2 that can be used as the basis for vaccines.

That piece is known as the spike protein. It studs the viruss surface, forming its halo and allowing the virus to latch onto and enter human cells. Because the spike protein is on the outside of the virus, its also an easy target for antibodies to recognize.

Researchers have copied the SARS-CoV-2 version of instructions for making the spike protein into RNA or DNA, or synthesized the protein itself, in order to create vaccines of various types (see sidebar). Once the vaccine is delivered into the body, the immune system makes antibodies that recognize the virus and block it from getting into cells, either preventing infection or helping people avoid serious illness.

Using this approach, drugmakers have set speed records in devising vaccines and beginning clinical trials. FasterCures, which is part of the Milken Institute think tank, is tracking 179 vaccine candidates, most of which are still being tested in lab dishes and animals. But nearly 20 have already begun testing in people.

Some front-runners have emerged, leading the pack in a neck-and-neck race. Some have been propelled by an effort by the U.S. federal government, called Operation Warp Speed, which has picked a handful of vaccine candidates to fast-track.

First out of the starting gate was one developed by Moderna, a Cambridge, Mass.based biotech company. It inoculated the first volunteer with its candidate vaccine on March 16, just 63 days after the viruss genetic makeup was revealed. The company has since reported preliminary safety data, and some evidence that its vaccine stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies against the coronavirus (SN: 5/18/20).

That company and several others now have vaccines entering Phase III clinical trials. Moderna and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, in Bethesda, Md., will begin inoculating 30,000 volunteers with either the vaccine or a placebo in July to test the vaccines efficacy in large numbers of people.

Modernas vaccine requires two doses; a prime and a boost. That means it will take 28 days to get any individual person vaccinated, NIAID director Anthony Fauci said June 26 during a Milken Institute webinar. It will take weeks and months to give the full set of shots to all those people. Then it will take time to determine whether more people in the placebo group get COVID-19 than those in the vaccine group a sign that the vaccine works. Those results could come in late fall or early winter.

NIAID launched a clinical trials network July 8 to recruit volunteers at sites across the United States for phase III testing of vaccines and antibodies to prevent COVID-19. Modernas vaccine will be the first in line for testing.

Some researchers propose accelerating clinical trials even further by trying controversial challenge trials, in which vaccinated volunteers are intentionally exposed to the coronavirus (SN: 5/27/20). None of those studies have gotten the green light yet.

Three other global drug and vaccine companies have announced plans to launch similarly sized trials this summer: Johnson & Johnson; AstraZeneca, working with the University of Oxford; and Pfizer Inc., which has teamed up with the German company BioNTech. Like Moderna, all are part of Operation Warp Speed, or will be joining it.

Usually, Phase III trials are about determining efficacy. But the rush to get through earlier stages designed to make sure a drug doesnt cause harm means that scientists also will be keeping a keen eye on safety, Fauci said. Researchers will be watching, in particular, for any suggestion that antibodies generated by the vaccine might enhance infection.

That can happen when antibodies stimulated by the vaccine dont fully neutralize the virus and can aid it getting into cells and replicating, or because the vaccine alters immune cell responses in unhelpful ways. Vaccines against MERS and SARS coronaviruses made infections with the real virus worse in some animal studies.

Such enhanced infections are a worry for any unproven vaccine candidate, but some experimental vaccines in the works may be more concerning than others, says Peter Pitts, president of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest, a nonprofit research and education organization headquartered in New York City.

For instance, China-based CanSino Biologics Inc. has developed a hybrid virus vaccine: Its made by putting the coronavirus spike protein into a common cold virus called adenovirus 5. That virus can infect humans but has been altered so that it can no longer replicate.

In a small study, reported June 13 in the Lancet, CanSinos vaccine triggered antibody production against the spike protein. But many volunteers already had preexisting antibodies to the adenovirus, raising concerns that that could weaken their response to the vaccine. A weakened response might make an infection worse when people encounter the real coronavirus, Pitts says.

Thats of particular concern because CanSino said in a June 29 statement to the Hong Kong stock exchange that its vaccine was approved by the Chinese government for temporary use by the Chinese military. Thats essentially turning soldiers into guinea pigs, Pitts says.

The type of antibodies stimulated by the vaccine will be important in determining whether the vaccine protects against disease or makes things worse, Yale University immunologists Akiko Iwasaki and Yexin Yang, warned April 21 in Nature Reviews Immunology. Some types of antibodies have been associated with more severe COVID-19.

And it will be important to monitor the ratio of neutralizing antibodies and non-neutralizing antibodies, as well as activity of other immune cells triggered by the vaccines, an international working group of scientists recommended in a conference report in the June 26 Vaccine.

Public health officials will also be tracking side effects closely. As big as the vaccine trials may be, we cant be sure that there arent rare side effects, Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said June 29 during a question-and-answer session with the Journal of the American Medical Association. Thats why even when we get enough to vaccinate large numbers, were going to need to be following it.

In 1976 for instance, it turned out that Guillain-Barr syndrome, a rare neurological condition in which the immune system attacks parts of the nervous system, was a rare side effect of the swine flu influenza vaccine. That didnt become obvious until the vaccine had already been rolled out to 45 million people in the United States.

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Early on, it was unclear whether scientists could devise a vaccine against the coronavirus at all. Its now a question of when rather than if well have a vaccine.

But some researchers have expressed concern that rushing clinical trials might lead federal regulators to approve a vaccine based on its ability to trigger antibody production alone. Its still unclear how well antibodies protect against reinfection with the coronavirus and how long any such immunity may last (SN: 4/28/20). The measure of whether the vaccine works should be its ability to protect against illness, not antibody production, Fauci said.

I really want to make sure that we dont have a vaccine thats distributed among the American people unless we know its safe and we know it is effective, he said. Not that we think it might be effective, but that we know its effective.

So far though, companies are measuring success by the antibody. For instance, INOVIO, a biotechnology company based in Plymouth Meeting, Pa., announced June 30 that 94 percent of participants in a small safety trial made antibodies against the coronavirus. The data, delivered via news release like that from numerous other companies rushing to show progress, had not been peer-reviewed and other details about the companys DNA-based vaccine were sparse.

Despite still having much to prove, companies are gearing up manufacturing without knowing if their product will ever reach the market. By the end of the year, companies promise they can have hundreds of millions of doses. We keep saying, Are you sure? And they keep saying yes, Fauci said. Thats pretty impressive if they can do it.

For instance, if everything goes right, a vaccine in testing now from Pfizer might be available as soon as October, Pfizer chairman and chief executive Albert Bourla said during the Milken Institute session. If we are lucky, and the product works and we do not have significant bumps on our way to manufacturing, he said, the company expects to be able to make 1 billion doses by early next year.

Pfizer released preliminary data on the safety of one of four vaccine candidates it is evaluating July 1 at medRxiv.org. In the small study of 45 people, no severe side effects were noted. Vaccination produced neutralizing antibodies at levels 1.8 to 2.8 times levels found in blood plasma from people who had recovered from COVID-19, researchers reported.

Novavax Inc., a Gaithersburg, Md.-based biotechnology company, announced July 7 that it was being award $1.6 billion from Operation Warp Speed to conduct phase III trials and to deliver 100 million doses of its vaccine as early as the end of the year.

If manufacturers can deliver a vaccine as promised, there could be another big hurdle: Theres no guarantee people will line up for shots. About a quarter of Americans said in recent polls that they would definitely or probably not get a coronavirus vaccine if one were available. Thats a pending public health crisis, Pitts says.

Krofah agrees. We need to think about the post-pandemic world in the midst of all of this, she says. We need to start building that public trust now. Tackling issues of vaccine hesitancy shouldnt be left until a vaccine is available, she says.

Whether with vaccines or treatments, we need to expedite, but not rush, Pitts says. Theres a perception that therapeutics or vaccines will be approved willy-nilly because of politics, and thats a dangerous misperception. The FDA laid out guidelines, including an accelerated approval process, on June 30 that should ensure any approved vaccines work, he says.

There is good news for those who are eagerly awaiting vaccines, Krofah and Pitts say: There wont be just one winner in the race. Instead, there may be multiple options to choose from. Thats not a luxury; it may be a necessity. Multiple vaccines may be needed to protect different segments of the population, Krofah says. For instance, elderly people may need a vaccine that prods the immune system harder to make antibodies, and children may need different vaccines than adults do.

Whats more, long-term investments in development will be needed so that vaccines can be altered if the virus mutates. We need to stay the front and not declare victory once a vaccine has been approved for emergency use, she says.

For now, vaccine makers are moving both as quickly and as carefully as possible, Bourla said. I am aware that right now that billions of people, millions of businesses, hundreds of governments are investing their hope for a solution in a handful of pharma companies.

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Nanoparticles Used to Deliver Gene Therapy for Macular Degeneration – AZoNano

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Written by AZoNanoJul 8 2020

Two researchers from Johns Hopkins Universityan ophthalmologist and an engineerhave successfully used nanoparticles to deliver gene therapy for blinding eye disease. They achieved this by performing experiments in mice and rats.

Image Credit: Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Using an exclusively designed large molecule, the researchers could compact huge bundles of therapeutic DNA to be delivered into the cells of the eye.

Reported in the Science Advances journal on July 3rd, 2020, the study offers evidence of the prospective value of nanoparticle-delivered gene therapy for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration.

Macular degeneration is an eye disease in which blood vessel growth is abnormal, causing damage to the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye, together with rarer, inherited blinding diseases of the retina.

Several gene therapy techniques rely on viral vectors, which tap the natural ability of a virus to carry genetic material into cells. But viruses tend to create an immune response that prevents repeat dosing, and the one most often used for ocular gene therapy is not capable of carrying large genes.

Some of the most prevalent inherited retinal degenerations are due to mutations in large genes that simply cannot fit into the most commonly used viral vector.

Peter Campochiaro, MD, Eccles Professor of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Campochiaro is also a member of the Johns Hopkins Medicine Wilmer Eye Institute.

Campochiaro and Jordan Green, PhD, created a new technique to overcome such drawbacks, which involves using a biodegradable polymer that surrounds and compacts long DNA stretches. This helps create nanoparticles with the potential to enterthe cells. This technology enables the conversion of the cells of the eye into mini factories for a therapeutic protein.

The researchers first tested whether the nanoparticles enter their target cells by loading the nanoparticles with a gene for a fluorescent protein that makes cells glow similar to a glow stick.

Using the glowing molecule, the researchers were able to find the location, duration, and amount of gene expression that can be achieved using the nanoparticles.

Even eight months following treatment, it was found that most of the light-sensitive cells in the eyes of the rats glowed, demonstrating that the nanoparticles effectively loaded the fluorescent gene into the cells.

A similar experiment was also performed using the nanoparticles to shuttle a biologically relevant gene into the eye. A gene for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was loaded into the nanoparticles, where the gene takes part in the growth of abnormal blood vessels in people suffering from wet macular degeneration.

The eyes of 30 rats were injected with the nanoparticles that carried the VEGF gene, and the effects in the retina were determined one, two, and five months post-injection. One month post-injection, abnormal blood vessels developed in each tested rat under and inside the retina, similar to those seen in patients suffering from wet macular degeneration.

The abnormal blood vessels were found to be more widespread at two and five months post-injection, and there was related scarring under the retina such as those observed in chronic untreated wet macular degeneration.

These results show that the genes delivered by nanoparticles stayed active within the cells for several months.

Peter Campochiaro, MD, Eccles Professor of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University

Lastly, the researchers tested the ability of a nanoparticle to deliver a therapeutic gene for the disease by using mice that had been genetically engineered to develop a kind of wet macular degeneration such as those seen in humans. Nanoparticles were loaded with a gene that synthesizes a protein that neutralizes VEGF.

At present, such proteins that block VEGF proteins are injected by physicians into the eyes of people suffering from macular degeneration. This treatment helps control the overgrowth of abnormal, leaky blood vessels. However, this process must be repeated often and is cumbersome for patients and their caretakers.

Three weeks post-injection of nanoparticles with the gene for the anti-VEGF protein, a 60% decrease in abnormal blood vessels was observed in the mice.

The same effect was observed 35 days later.

These results are extremely promising. We have the ability to reach the cells most significantly affected by degenerative eye disease with nonviral treatments that can allow the eye to create its own sustained therapies.

Jordan Green, PhD, Professor of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University

In the United States, approximately 1.6 million people suffering from macular degeneration are administered injected drugs to the eye every four to six weeks. A gene therapy treatment could offer a means for the tissue of the eye to prevent further deterioration of vision with only a few initial treatments.

Genetic diseases that lead to blindness could be similarly treated by introducing functional versions of genes disabled by inherited mutations.

Jikui Shen, Jayoung Kim, Stephany Tzeng, Kun Ding, Zibran Hafiz, Da Long, and Jiangxia Wang from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine are the other researchers involved in this study.

This study was financially supported by the National Eye Institute (01EY031097, R21EY026148, R01EY028996, EY01765), the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (R01EB022148) Research to Prevent Blindness (the Dr H. James and Carole Free Catalyst Award and an unrestricted grant), the Louis B. Thalheimer Fund for Translational Research; the Barth Syndrome Foundation, Samsung, Conrad and Lois Aschenbach, Per Bang-Jensen, Andrew and Yvette Marriott, and Jean Lake.

Shen, J., et al. (2020) Suprachoroidal gene transfer with nonviral nanoparticles. Science Advances. doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aba1606.

Source: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/

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Nema To Draft Biosafety Regulations And Guidelines – New Vision

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The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) plans to draft regulations that will guide the environmental release of genetically modified organisms.

Kasese district chairman leading a team that visited Mubuku GM cassava trial garden. PHOTOS: Prossy Nandudu

The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) plans to draft regulations that will guide the environmental release of genetically modified organisms.

Under the revised Act of 2019, NEMA was given the mandate to regulate GMOs in the environment although the regulations were not made, until the Genetic Engineering Regulatory Act (GERA) that is before parliament is passed into law to give details on the regulatory process.

This was revealed by the executive director NEMA, Dr.Tom Okurut during a meeting organised by the Science Foundation for Livelihoods and Development (SCIFODE) at a monthly media bio cafe, on NEMA Act 2019 emerging regulations and guidelines on Wednesday.

"In the absence of a specific law for GMO regulation, we should move to draft regulations and guidelines, we didn't want to go first, now that it has stayed, we cannot delay, we must start because GMOs are already with us," said Okurut.

To ensure that the process takes shape, Okurut said they're in talks stakeholders such as the Ministry of Science Technology and Innovations (MOSTI), Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST), researchers among others to secure funding for the process.

According to Okurut, the NEMA Act 1995 had omissions especially on aspects such as oil and gas industry waste, electronic waste, and management of GMOs.

He, however, adds that these have since been catered for in the amended act of 2019, apart from the aspect of GMOs that we are supposed to make laws that will regulate it. But for NEMA to make the regulations, they had to wait for the GERA bill to be passed into law, an issue which is not yielding results.

"There are still pseudo scientists peddling lies about the technology without taking time to understand the basic science used by researchers in developing these products and we need the law to regulate the use, entry, consumption of all products from GMOs," Okurut said.

Okurut was backed by the director of regulation and biosafety at the Ministry of Science Technology and Innovations, Dr.James Kasigwa who seconded NEMA to use the amended act and regulate GMOs.

"Since we don't have a dedicated law, we can make use of NEMA act to have a stop-gap, issues of GMOs are real. Kenya now plants genetically modified cotton, they are about to release cassava and our borders are porous, what is in Kenya, will find its way into Uganda. Let us leverage any provisions in NEMA to have anything workable to put in place a regulatory framework," added Kasigwa.

Dr. Kasigwa noted that MOSTI is willing to cooperate with NEMA to ensure that a regulatory framework is in place

Currently, the agriculture sector is faced with the challenge of pests and diseases and climate change which are threatening many crops like bananas devastated by the bacterial wilt, Maize production suffers from drought-related insect pests among others.

"Fortunately many of these have been addressed through biotechnology and are in research fields waiting for regulation to be availed to the farming community to improve our productivity and competitiveness," added Isaac Ongu, the executive director of Scifode.

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PM Imran orders distribution of wheat from government warehouses – The Express Tribune

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ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday ordered distribution of wheat from government warehouses in Punjab to the local markets to mitigate the effects of an impending flour crisis.

The bureaucracy had advised the premier to distribute wheat stocks from government warehouses in October.

However, the premier said, You should immediately bring wheat to the market and provide it at a cheaper price by setting up markets and sale points.

The premier added that if need be, wheat would be imported in October if needed.

Earlier, on Jun 9 it was reported that Pakistan is facing a shortfall of 1.4 million tons of wheat because of a decrease in yield, a development that is set to aggravate the existing flour crisis in the coming months.

The Federal Committee on Agriculture (FCA) was informed about the impending crisis during a meeting held on Wednesday, June 9, to review the Khareef season.

The wheat production target last year was set at 27 million tonnes. This year, there is a shortfall of 1.4 million tonnes and 79.95pc of the procurement target has been achieved.

Speaking during the meeting, Federal National Food Security and Research Minister Syed Fakhar Imam stressed the need to increase wheat production.

We need a breakthrough in high-yield wheat variety through genetic engineering, he added.

Our country has the best irrigation system which is not being used properly. Wheat is grown on 36pc of the countrys cultivated area.

Food Security Commissioner Dr Waseem informed the participants of the meeting that after many years, the country had exceeded the chickpea production target of 540,000 tonnes.

This year, there will be saving of Rs87 million as there will be less chickpea import, he added.

Potato production for the current year is 4.43 million tonnes against 4.4 million tonnes recorded last year. Balochistan also recorded a bumper crop of tomato this year.

Imam said there was a need to increase the production of oil seeds (sunflower, canola, rosehip and mustard).

The Indus River System Authority representative informed the participants of the meeting that there would 9pc more water available for Khareef season this year.

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A Powerful Chief And Unexpected Splits: 6 Takeaways From The Supreme Court Term – HPPR

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A momentous Supreme Court term is over. The last strokes of the pen were devoted to repudiating President Trump's claim that he is categorically immune from state grand jury and congressional subpoenas.

But the term also featured just about every flashpoint in American law including abortion, religion, immigration and much more.

Here are six takeaways:

1. John Roberts may be the most powerful chief justice since the 1930s. He is the first justice since then to be both the controlling vote and the chief justice. That means that when he is in the majority, he has the important power to assign who will write an opinion, and that choice may well determine whether the decision is written broadly or narrowly. This term, Roberts was in the majority an astounding 97% of the time; he assigned the opinion in all but two cases.

2. Probably the most historic opinions he wrote were those rejecting President Trump's claim that he is categorically immune from state grand jury and congressional subpoenas for his pre-presidential financial records.

But in an election year, Roberts also wrote a variety of decisions that for now will likely keep the court out of the political maelstrom. His signature immigration decision prevented Trump from immediately getting rid of the program that offers protections for people who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children, known as "DREAMers." But it left ample room for conservative actions down the road.

Roberts also cast the deciding vote in a major abortion case that preserved the status quo, for now, but left plenty of leeway for the court to chip away at abortion rights in the future.

And he likely wrote the court's unsigned opinion, dismissing as moot the first major gun rights case heard by the court in a decade. That too leaves room for gun rights proponents to come back attacking gun regulations in the future.

3. Religion is the one area where social conservative won consistent victories this term. In three separate decisions, the court made clear that the high wall of separation between church and state, a doctrine that prevailed for much of the 20th century, is now a relic of the past. It has been replaced by a heavy emphasis on the free exercise of religion and an accommodation between church and state.

Roberts wrote the court's 5-to-4 decision gutting provisions is most state constitutions than have long barred using taxpayer funds for religious schools.

In another case, the court ruled that under the Constitution, lay teachers at parochial schools may not be protected by the nation's fair employment laws.

And in a third case, the court ruled that under the Affordable Care Act, employers with religious or moral objections may opt out of providing free birth control coverage in their employee insurance plans.

4. While conservatives have a clear five-justice majority, they can't seem to work together. Perhaps for reasons of either ego or frustration, conservatives wrote way more separate concurring and dissenting opinions a total of 60 compared to the liberals, who wrote far fewer concurring opinions and almost always dissented as a group.

The liberals seem to know they are playing defense. When they can get a fifth vote to prevail, they don't go off on their own in a way that could diminish their impact.

The four most conservative justices write many more separate opinions and are much more long-winded their separate opinions total 734 pages.

When you drill down to the 20 cases that were decided by 5-to-4 or 6-to-3 votes, the numbers are even starker. Conservatives wrote 14 of 17 concurring opinions, meaning that they signed on to the outcome of the ruling but not on to all or sometimes any of the reasoning behind it. And they wrote eight of the nine solo dissents and eight of the 11 solo concurrences, writing for themselves alone.

The only time Chief Justice Roberts wrote a concurring opinion for himself alone was in the abortion case, presenting a Louisiana law identical a Texas law struck down four years ago.

Roberts, who dissented from the Texas decision, nonetheless cast the deciding fifth vote to invalidate the same law from Louisiana, citing the duty to adhere to precedent. But he did not join the liberals' reasoning, and in fact seemed to invite future cases that could undermine abortion rights.

5. Of the two Trump appointees to the court, Neil Gorsuch has been at once the most predictable and unpredictable this term. Predictable because in most cases he has turned out to be every bit as conservative as his political supporters hoped, and liberal detractors feared. But in two major majority opinions that he wrote, he completely defied early predictions.

The most headline-grabbing was his decision for a six-justice majority declaring that LGBTQ employees are protected by the 1964 law barring employment discrimination based on sex.

In another decision, on Thursday, he delivered to Native Americans their first major Supreme Court victory in many decades. Writing for himself and the court's four liberals, Gorsuch declared that much of eastern Oklahoma, including the state's second largest city of Tulsa, falls within Indian lands belonging to the Creek Nation.

Gorsuch's decision invoked the mistreatment and broken promises inflicted on Native American tribes over the course of U.S. history, and concluded that the land in eastern Oklahoma still belongs to the Creek Nation because Congress never revoked the treaties under which the land was designated as, in the words of the opinion, "Indian Country."

To hold otherwise, wrote Gorsuch, would "elevate the most brazen and longstanding injustices ... rewarding wrong and failing those in the right."

Although the decision could have major consequences, state and tribal officials immediately said that they could reach an amicable compromise to resolve those issues. That said, the fact is that the court's ruling has provided Native Americans the kind of leverage in negotiations that they have not had before.

6. Headline cases buried other personal court news. On June 21, Chief Justice Roberts fell while walking at a Maryland country club near his home, hitting his head hard enough to require stitches and an overnight stay in the hospital. The court did not disclose the incident when it occurred, but confirmed it on July 7, after the Washington Post first reported the incident.

Court press officer Kathy Arberg said in a statement, "The Chief Justice was treated at a hospital on June 21 for an injury to his forehead sustained in a fall while walking for exercise near his home. The injury required sutures, and out of an abundance of caution, he stayed in the hospital overnight and was discharged the next morning."

Arberg said doctors had had ruled out a seizure (he suffered a seizure in 1993 and another one in 2007). She said doctors believe the fall last month "was likely due to light-headedness caused by dehydration."

On a different note, Ginni Thomas, an outspoken conservative activist and wife of Justice Clarence Thomas, wrote to protest an overhead banner on Main Street in the tiny town of Clifton, Va., population 300. The banner reads, "Welcome to Clifton, where Black Lives Matter."

Thomas is white; her husband is the Supreme Court's only black justice. "BLM is a bit of a dangerous Trojan Horse and they are catching well-meaning people into the dangerous posturing that can invite mob rule and property looting," Ginni Thomas wrote, according to the Washington Post. "Let's not be tricked into joining cause with radical extremists seeking to foment a cultural revolution because they hate America."

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A Powerful Chief And Unexpected Splits: 6 Takeaways From The Supreme Court Term - HPPR

Angies List: What do I need to know about asbestos in my home? – The Detroit News

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By Paul F. P. Pogue, Angies List Published 5:05 p.m. ET July 9, 2020

You probably dont think about asbestos exposure very often. The EPA banned its use in 1989, and after all the news articles about how asbestos causes cancer and mesothelioma, who would want to use it at all? But the ban was removed a few years later, and while contractors virtually never use asbestos in residential applications anymore, it remains in millions of homes, especially those built before the 1970s.

Although asbestos in the home usually doesnt pose a day-to-day danger, homeowners need to know the dangers involved in disturbing it, the consequences of asbestos exposure and the proper asbestos removal methods.

Due to its heat resistance and strength, asbestos was used in a wide variety of construction purposes such as flooring, drywall and insulation. Basement pipe insulation and tape on old duct work are among the most common places youll find dangerous asbestos, because it breaks up over time and all of it is several decades old.

Asbestos can be found in a wide array of residential applications from the 1960s and earlier, including flooring, pipe insulation and roofing. Asbestos is most dangerous when the materials are broken up.(Photo: Dreamstime, TNS)

You cant see or smell asbestos. The only way to be sure is to hire an environmental consulting firm or asbestos building inspector for asbestos testing. Theyll take fingernail-sized samples and test them in a laboratory. This work will cost between $100 and $700, depending on how extensive the testing is.

Hiring an asbestos removal contractor

Some asbestos materials, such as flooring, are best left undisturbed. If you plan on doing work that involves breaking up, removing or drilling through those materials, though, call an asbestos professional. Asbestos removal is not federally regulated, but most states require licensing.

Deteriorating materials such as tape and pipe insulation should be replaced. A qualified professional will use specialized techniques to seal off the area and prevent any amount of asbestos from escaping. A typical project takes two people eight hours to complete.

Popcorn ceiling installed prior to 1990 is likely to have asbestos in it. Asbestos popcorn ceiling removal costs between $3 and $10 per square foot two to three times as much as standard popcorn ceiling removal.

Most asbestos removal jobs will cost between $1,000 and $3,000. More extensive jobs, such as a whole-house remediation, will be much more expensive, averaging between $15,000 and $30,000.

Preparing the area and sealing it off from the outside makes up two-thirds of asbestos abatement cost. Expect to pay between $75 and $200 per hour for labor.

Hiring asbestos removal contractors should be done carefully. Asbestos licensing and training regulations vary by state and locality. Learn your local laws and verify that they have the appropriate licenses and, if necessary, the permits required for the job.

Paul F. P. Pogue is a reporter for Angies List, a trusted provider of local consumer reviews and an online marketplace of services from top-rated providers. Visit AngiesList.com.

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Angies List: What do I need to know about asbestos in my home? - The Detroit News

Local golf results, July 11, 2020 | Results – The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel

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Chipeta Mens League

First Flight Gross 1. Byron Miller 29; 2. Marshal Way 31; 3. (tie) Garrett Smith, Torrey Steves 32.

First Flight Net 1. (tie) Paul Keddy, Brian Hartbauer 28; 3. Colby Koerner 29; 4. Trent Steves 30.

Second Flight Gross 1. Levi Basler 35; 2. Chad Beldon 38; 3. John Crawford 39; 4. Justin Eller 40*.

Second Flight Net 1. Dave Eller 28; 2.(tie) Don Olbert, Trevor Woolley 29; 4. Jason Smith 30.

First Flight Gross 1. Mat Wakefield 26; 2. Paul Keddy 29; 3. Torrey Steves 31*.

First Flight Net 1. Trent Steves 25; 2. Ken Buterbaugh 27; 3. Byron Miller 28.

Second Flight Gross 1. Chad Beldon 33; 2. (tie) Bob Hilgenfeld, Colby Koerner 34.

Second Flight Net 1. (tie) Dick Griffin, Zach Nelson, Syd Schramm, Don Iles 27.

Closest to the pin: Paul Keddy (No. 4); Byron Miller (No. 7); Mat Wakefield (Nos. 10, 16)

Chipeta Ladies League

Gross 1. Christy Davidson 36; 2. Linda Heath 43; 3. Jenann Wakefield 45.

Net 1. Sandy Brubaker 32; 2. (tie) Ann Thomas, Kelly Mattson 34.

Adobe Creek Couples League

Four-Person Roll the Dice Scramble

1. Steven Schwartz/Melissa Harni/Larry Mallett/Mae Mallett 30; 2. Dave Kirsch/Deb Kirsch/James Danner/Michelle Danner 31; 3. Steve Slipka/Nancy Slipka/Mat Wakefield/Jenann Wakefield 32; 4. (tie) Paul Daniels/Jennifer Daniels/Mike Gregg/Wynona Mahaffey, Bob Jackson/Jan Jackson/Mark Debogorski/Darcalee Debogorski 34.

Closest to the pin: Dave Kirsch (Men No. 6); Wynona Mahaffey (Women No. 6)

Chip-in: Bob Jackson (No. 5)

Redlands Mesa Womens League

First Flight Gross 1. Tammy Warnke 83; 2. Cindy Granum 85.

First Flight Net 1. Frances Baer 67; 2. Robin Reed 73.

Second Flight Gross 1. Leah Gonyeau 96; 2. Julia Conrad 99.

Second Flight Net 1. Marjorie Genova 77; 2. Lynda Stahl 78.

Third Flight Gross 1. Christina Bybee 103; 2. Rena Carver 107.

Third Flight Net 1. Lorrie Van Dyke 68; 2. Lori Curtis 70.

First Flight Gross 1. Frances Baer 40; 2. Tammy Warnke 42.

First Flight Net 1. (tie) Cindy Granum, Jackie Skelton 34.

Second Flight Gross 1. Leah Gonyeau 43; 2. Julia Conrad 48.

Second Flight Net 1. Marjorie Genova 35; 2. Lnyda Stahl 37.

Third Flight Gross 1. Christina Bybee 48; 2. Rena Carver 50.

Third Flight Net 1. Lorrie Van Dyke 28; 2. Lori Curtis 31.

Adobe Creek Senior Mens League

Red, White & Blue Two-Man Scramble

Gross A Flight 1. Bryan Cross/Hal Kellerby 69; 2. (tie) Randy Cain/Jim Schneider, Larry Reeves/Steve Urbach 70; 4. Kent Henrie/Jim Church 72.

Gross B Flight 1. Larry Walker/Don Riggle 72; 2. Vince Gulino/Mark Greff 74; 3. (tie) Tom Holman/Ron Miller, Andy Eliopolus/John Turner 75.

Gross C Flight 1. Kevin Eubanks/Paul Kuchyt 78*; 2. Joe Burns/Bob Taylor 78; 3. Tim Bevan/Gary Wilson 80; 4. (tie) John Colosimo/Steve Colosimo, Keith Schaefer/Denzil Snow, Tim Boothe/Lou Bracket 81.

Closest to the inp: Ken Buterbaugh (Mesa No. 3); Bob Taylor (Mesa No. 6); Mike Weidrich (Desert No. 2); Tom Keenan (Desert No. 5)

Tiara Rado Day Ladies League

First Flight Gross 1. Kelly Hall/Lucille Glynn +3; 2. (tie) Julia Conrad/Linda Barrett, Cheryl Bullinger/Margorie Genova +9.

First Flight Net 1. Shirley Webb/Barb Vermedahl -7; 2. (tie) Terri Knode/Bobby Ordahl, Kathy Short/Lynda Stahl Even.

Second Flight Gross 1. Terri Martinez/Catherine Lucero +15; 2. Joyce Stonehocker/Marsha Oliver +25.

Second Flight Net 1. Kay Campbell/Catherine Lucero -11; 2. (tie) Patty Bradshaw/Joyce Taylor, Nancy Nolan/Katie Hill -1.

Kyms League

Gross 1. Mark Garcia/Noah Larsen/Torrey Steves/Brian Hartbauer 58; 2. Sonia Butler/Lee Butler/Allen Canetti/Jeff Murray 70.

Net 1. Norma Vendegna/Eloy Vendegna/Brandon Gregg/Clint Trujillo 54; 2. Elaine Schramm/Syd Schramm/Trent Steves/Koby Steves 63.

Closest to the pin: Eloy Vendegna (No. 15); Torrey Steves (No. 17)

Longest putt: Clint Trujillo (No. 13)

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After the liberal international order | The Strategist – The Strategist

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Many analysts argue that the liberal international order ended with the rise of China and the election of US President Donald Trump. But if Democratic challenger Joe Biden defeats Trump in Novembers election, should he try to revive it? Probably not, but he must replace it.

Critics correctly point out that the American order after 1945 was neither global nor always very liberal. It left out more than half the world in the Soviet bloc and China and included many authoritarian states. American hegemony was always exaggerated. Nonetheless, the most powerful country must lead in creating global public goods, or they will not be providedand Americans will suffer.

The Covid-19 pandemic is a case in point. A realistic goal for a Biden administration should be to establish rules-based international institutions with different membership for different issues.

Would China and Russia agree to participate? During the 1990s and 2000s, neither could balance American power, and the United States overrode sovereignty in pursuit of liberal values. The US bombed Serbia and invaded Iraq without approval by the United Nations Security Council. It also supported a UN General Assembly resolution in 2005 that established a responsibility to protect citizens brutalised by their own governmentsa doctrine it then used in 2011 to justify bombing Libya to protect the citizens of Benghazi.

Critics describe this record as post-Cold War American hubrisRussia and China felt deceived, for example, when the NATO-led intervention in Libya resulted in regime changewhereas defenders portray it as the natural evolution of international humanitarian law. In any case, the growth of Chinese and Russian power has set stricter limits to liberal interventionism.

Whats left? Russia and China stress the norm of sovereignty in the UN Charter, according to which states can go to war only for self-defence or with Security Council approval. Taking a neighbours territory by force has been rare since 1945 and has led to costly sanctions when it has happened (as with Russias annexation of Crimea in 2014). In addition, the Security Council has often authorised the deployment of peacekeeping forces in troubled countries, and political cooperation has limited the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles. This dimension of a rules-based order remains crucial.

As for economic relations, the rules will require revision. Well before the pandemic, Chinas hybrid state capitalism underpinned an unfair mercantilist model that distorted the functioning of the World Trade Organization. The result will be a decoupling of global supply chains, particularly where national security is at stake.

Although China complains when the US prevents companies like Huawei from building 5G telecommunications networks, this position is consistent with sovereignty. After all, China prevents Google, Facebook, and Twitter from operating in China for security reasons. Negotiating new trade rules can help prevent the decoupling from escalating. At the same time, cooperation in the crucial financial domain remains strong, despite the current crisis.

By contrast, ecological interdependence poses an insurmountable obstacle to sovereignty, because the threats are transnational. Regardless of setbacks for economic globalisation, environmental globalisation will continue, because it obeys the laws of biology and physics, not the logic of contemporary geopolitics. Such issues threaten everyone, but no country can manage them alone. On issues like Covid-19 and climate change, power has a positive-sum dimension.

In this context, it is not enough to think of exercising power over others. We must also think in terms of exercising power with others. The Paris climate agreement and the World Health Organization help us as well as others. Since Richard Nixon and Mao Zedong met in 1972, China and the US have cooperated despite ideological differences. The difficult question for Biden will be whether the US and China can cooperate in producing global public goods while competing in the traditional areas of great-power rivalry.

Cyberspace is an important new issuepartly transnational, but also subject to sovereign government controls. The internet is already partly fragmented. Norms regarding free speech and privacy on the internet can be developed among an inner circle of democracies but will not be observed by authoritarian states.

As suggested by the Global Commission on the Stability of Cyberspace, some rules barring tampering with the internets basic structure are also in authoritarians interests if they want connectivity. But when they use proxies for information warfare or to interfere in elections (which violates sovereignty), norms will have to be reinforced by rules such as those the US and the Soviet Union negotiated during the Cold War (despite ideological hostility) to limit the escalation of incidents at sea. The US and like-minded states will have to announce the norms they intend to uphold, and deterrence will be necessary.

Insistence on liberal values in cyberspace would not mean unilateral US disarmament. Rather, the US should distinguish between the permitted soft power of open persuasion and the hard power of covert information warfare, to which it would retaliate. Overt programs and broadcasts by Russia and China would be allowed, covert coordinated behaviour such as manipulation of social media would not. And the US would continue to criticise these countries human rights records.

Polls show that the US public wants to avoid military interventions, but not to withdraw from alliances or multilateral cooperation. And the public still cares about values.

If Biden is elected, the question he will face is not whether to restore the liberal international order. It is whether the US can work with an inner core of allies to promote democracy and human rights while cooperating with a broader set of states to manage the rules-based international institutions needed to face transnational threats such as climate change, pandemics, cyberattacks, terrorism and economic instability.

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After the liberal international order | The Strategist - The Strategist

Liberals’ Only Hope Against Neo-Marxists Is An Alliance With The Right – The Federalist

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People have been asking me what I think of the HarpersLetter on Justice and Open Debate, a short statement opposing the cancel culture and signed by 153 prominent liberal intellectuals and cultural figures. Here are my thoughts after reading the letter.

First and most important, in the current atmosphere, anyone defending free speech and viewpoint diversity deserves support. We are living through a time of persecution, in which it is common for individuals to be publicly disgraced and to lose their jobs because theyve said something not in step with the latest theory of what constitutes social justice, or because they wrote something foolish decades ago.

So I support the general message of the Harpers letter. Still, I have to say that this statement is pretty messed up.

The most obvious way its messed up is that too many of the signatories have spent years systematically trying to stifle reasonable public debate by delegitimizing conservative voices and creating a context in which its too costly to engage with them in a public way.

Im not talking about those signatories who have strongly disagreed with conservatives, nationalists, Christians, populists, and so on. Vigorous disagreement is all fine and good and welcome, of course. Im talking about those who have accused conservatives of being authoritarian and anti-democracy; who have compared our views to Nazism, fascism, or Stalinism; whove said were theocrats, racists, sexists, and Islamophobes; whove said that were enabling and collaborating.

This campaign to delegitimize conservative views has been going on for years. Its been effective, too: A generation ago, conservatives were a minority in the mainstream media, academia, and other cultural settings. But we were considered legitimate participants representing a legitimate point of view.

Today this has changed entirely. Conservatism has been driven out or underground in one institution after another. And far too many of the signatories to this letter kept quiet or have actively taken part in bringing this about. But now that itsliberals whose standing is in danger, suddenly theyve realized they care immensely about free speech and viewpoint diversity!

Okay, so thats human nature. People tend to defend their own in-group and interests. Its easier for a liberal to worry about whether wereall free to be liberals than to worry about whether were free to be conservatives. I get it.

But now liberals are being persecuted and deplatformed. Now liberals thinking over the mistakes theyve made in the past. And theystilldont get how messed up it is to collect 153 signaturesin support offree speech and viewpoint diversity but to exclude conservatives fromthat as well.

That brings us to the heart of whats wrong with the Harpers letter: Even after all thats happened, the liberals who cooked this up still dont understand the most basic thing about democracy, which is that you need to have twolegitimate political parties for democracy to workone liberal and one conservative.,

This means that to have a democracy liberals need to grant legitimacy to conservatives (even when they dont like them much) and conservatives need to grant legitimacy to liberals (even when they dont like them much). Nothing else is going to work.

Heres what isnotgoing to work: Liberals trying to exclude conservatives fromevery kind oflegitimate discourse (because conservatives arethe real threat), while granting ever more influence to the very neo-Marxists who are working to bring them down. Its not going to work because neo-Marxists arent like conservatives: They dont believe in democracy. They dont believe in compromise. And they dont share power.

Nevertheless, thats what this letter is about, isnt it? Its about excluding conservatives from even the most elementary declaration of civic principles in order to throw a bone to the left in the hope that theyll take it.

Now, I know that not all the signatories are on the same page on this. Jonathan Haidt, for example, has risked much over the last few years trying to persuade liberals that the effective ban of conservatives in many universities is wrong-headed and self-destructive. Other liberals have stood with him, of course.

But far too many of the Harpers letter signatories have been toeing the line with, for example, Yascha Mounk, who on July 2 announced a new organization whose purpose is to ramp up the delegitimization campaign against conservatives, whom he says are the real threat to democracy. In his own words: The most pressing threat to liberal democracy comes from the populist right. From Brasilia to Washington, authoritarian populists are muzzling dissent, stoking racism, and concentrating power in their own hands. Were facing the fight of a lifetime.

So according to Mounk, the fight of his lifetime isnt against the neo-Marxists who are poised to take over the principal liberal institutions in America, but against conservatives, who are the most pressing threat to liberal democracy. And he said thisfive daysbefore appearing as a signatory on the Harpers letter, in anannouncementthat showcased the names of a dozen other Harpers signatories.

No big surprise, then, that the Harpers letter on free speech and viewpoint diversity includes no fewer than three (!) side comments aimed at delegitimizing conservatives. The reason for these asinine anti-conservative swipes is that the liberals behind the Harpers letter still think theyre going to get an alliance with the very same neo-Marxists who are out to destroy them. And they truly believe the way theyre going to get there is by putting conservatives down.

That leads us to the final reason this Harpers letter is so messed up: Its signatories dont seem to have a clue what time it is. They dont understand that the terrain has shifted beneath their feet.

The left has just scored dozens of victories, from taking down Opinions Editor James Bennet at The New York Times to taking out Woodrow Wilson at Princeton. Theres blood in the water and no one on the left is stupid enough to go for these little liberal bribes now.

Liberals only have two choices: Either theyll submit to the neo-Marxists or theyll try to put together a pro-democracy alliance with conservatives. There arent any other choices.

To be clear, I dont mean an alliance with theNeverTrumpersthat liberal outfits keep on their platforms so they can pretend to be dialoguing withthe other.Most of them arent conservatives and they certainly dont bring the conservative public with them.

Im talking about rebuilding a stable public sphere constructed around two legitimate political parties, one liberal and one consisting of actual conservativesmeaning people that the broad conservative public would recognize as their own.

Maybe liberals just arent smart enough to see that this is what theyve got to do. Maybe theydont have the gutsto do it. Maybe most liberal intellectuals are just going to keep hoping for love from the neo-Marxists until its all over. Could be.

But for now, two cheers for the Harpers letter on free speech and viewpoint diversity.Anyone defending free speech and viewpoint diversity at this time deserves support. So I support the general point of the thing. Even if it is pretty messed up.

Yoram Hazony is chairman of the Edmund Burke Foundation and author of The Virtue of Nationalism. Follow him on Twitter @yhazony.

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Liberals' Only Hope Against Neo-Marxists Is An Alliance With The Right - The Federalist

Union-commissioned poll shows NDP with advantage over B.C. Liberals – Vancouver Sun

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Her support generally would be 7.2 per cent among all respondents, but would have the support of 11 per cent of just decided voters.

The NDPs support is highest on Vancouver Island at almost 42 per cent, where B.C. Liberal support is lowest at 12 per cent and Green support comes in at 13 per cent, also its highest.

The gap between Liberals and NDP is narrowest in Vancouver, where NDP support was 29 per cent of respondents versus 22 per cent for the Liberals and Green support six per cent.

The survey asked several questions on community benefit agreements, which showed support among respondents and strongest sentiments among NDP confirmed voters.

For the poll, Strategic Communications surveyed a panel of 801 respondents that was statistically weighted to match the composition of B.C.s population by gender, age, region and mother tongue with an online questionnaire.

While a margin of error isnt applicable to such online surveys, a probability sample of this size would have a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 per cent, 19 times out of 20, according to Strategic Communications.

depenner@postmedia.com

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Union-commissioned poll shows NDP with advantage over B.C. Liberals - Vancouver Sun

When The Facts Change, We Change Our Minds (Anatomy Of A Sale) – Seeking Alpha

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Even before the coronavirus we were not big fans of the airlines business. Planes are expensive. Airlines have to pay for them whether they are fully occupied during normal economic times or when they are half-loaded during recessions. Their other big cost is fuel airlines have little control over it. If they hedge the oil price and it goes up, they are heroes. If they hedge oil and it declines, their unhedged competition will have an economic advantage. It is very difficult to develop competitive advantage; customers usually have very little loyalty and price is the deciding factor for most buying decisions.

Warren Buffett invested in the airlines industry in the 80s, lost money, and swore hed never invest in it again. However, after the Great Financial Crisis the industry went through significant consolidation by mergers and attrition, leaving four carriers controlling the bulk of the market. Fewer competitors made competition more rational and turned these airlines into much better businesses. So Buffett changed his mind and bought a 10% stake in all four of the largest US airlines. For a few years it seemed that he was finally right about the airlines.

Airlines were never our cup of tea. The high fixed-cost structure of the industry and its past history of going bankrupt every other recession made our EQ when it comes to airlines very low. When Buffett bought them, for some value investors, the airlines had been blessed by the high priest. We are agnostic (growing up in Soviet Russia has its rare benefits) and have to own our decisions, so we passed on the airlines without spending much time thinking about them.

Typically, when you go into recession you can look at the rear-view mirror earnings for a cyclical company and that becomes your goalpost for future earnings power within a year or two, max. We dont know how long it will take until well again see the 2019 earnings power of airlines and the travel industry in general. Here is what we know. Though it is hard to imagine this today, the fear of COVID-19 will eventually go away, either because there is a vaccine or a cure, or because the virus is gone, or because we will simply adapt to its existence.

But even in absence of a vaccine or cure, well change our behavior, and that will happen slowly on the margin. After being locked up for a few months, not seeing friends and relatives except on Zoom or Facetime, well timidly visit their houses and sit six feet apart on their porches. (My family did this on Mothers Day.) Then well invite very close friends the ones who stuck religiously to social distancing to our homes for dinner. Then we might chance visiting a restaurant with outdoor seating. Then, on a rainy day, well go inside the restaurant and find that it now has huge spacing between the tables. Well make a lot of small incremental decisions; each will be a tiny compromise that will nudge us out of our fear.

Of course, each time we read about serious virus flareups, well take one step back.

Flying is at one extreme in the spectrum of social distancing. It requires finding your way through airports packed with people and then getting on a plane that, even after the middle seats are removed will still have a higher density than a packed bar on Friday night in Manhattan. Thus flying will require a great many little, incremental, marginal decisions before we overcome the fear of boarding a plane.

Vaccine availability would instantly vanquish fear, and our behavior would come back to normal. Well, almost. There will be scar tissue on the economy trillions in government debt and persistently high unemployment that will take time to clear up. People are not flying today because we are in lockdown; theyll be flying less than they used to after lockdown is over because they are still afraid; and after their fear is gone theyll still be flying less because they cannot afford the flights.

We imagine that when Buffett bought airlines in 2015, he thought the worst case would be a significant recession where plane occupancy would fall from the usual 80-90% to 50-60% (according to the FT, only four airlines out of a few hundred are profitable at 62% occupancy). His thinking was that the airlines would lose some money for a few quarters, but the recession would be anything but an existential crisis for them. Recessions last months and expansion years, and he thought he had bought them cheap on full-cycle (both recession and expansion) earnings.

Despite being the Oracle of Omaha, he did not foresee that one day we might have a different type of recession where 95% of the planes would be grounded, not because people couldnt afford to buy a tickets but because they would be required to stay home by their governments, or would be afraid that close proximity to others would make them sick or even kill them.

Very few businesses can survive when 95% of their revenue goes away for an extended period of time. Even fewer can survive when they have a large fixed-asset base that needs to be paid for whether they are using it or not.

The sad reality is that unless airlines raise new capital, they will go bankrupt. This capital, though it might save them, will reduce the value of their businesses. Equity issuances, especially at todays depressed stock prices, would permanently dilute shareholders, as future earnings will be shared with a much-increased shareholder base.

If the airlines issue debt, it will not be cheap capital, either, and will burden these companies, which already have a lot of fixed costs, with another cost significant interest payments that will substantially reduce their future earnings power. The longer the fear of the virus lingers on, the more money these companies will lose and the greater the damage that will be done to their balance sheets and thus their future earnings power.

In our thinking about the virus we have three timelines, or eras: BC before coronavirus, DC during coronavirus (now), and AC after coronavirus (the virus is completely gone, or there is a vaccine or effective treatment). The longer the DC era lasts the more impact it has on the AC era. The DC era comes with high unemployment and enormous government spending larger deficits and an ever-growing debt pile that is no longer counted in billions but in trillions.

The future of the airlines is path-dependent, and they have little control over that path; it is controlled by the virus (or the fear of the virus).

We dont own airlines, so why am I spending so much time talking about them? There are several reasons. First, because they are companies that are antithetical to our portfolio philosophy. Charlie Munger says, Tell me where I am going to die so I wont go there. So its worth having a clear picture of the types of businesses you dont want to own.

Second, we wanted to point out Buffetts ability to change his mind. Interestingly, Buffett, who was already the largest shareholder of US airlines, bought more airline stocks a few weeks before he sold them. We did something similar this quarter, too: We increased our position in Melrose Industries (OTC:MLSPF), just to sell the full position two weeks later. (More about Melrose to follow).

Third, like Buffett, we were playing traditional chess, not realizing that the game had changed to Fischer random chess. We were following the normal recession handbook (mental models) but then realized that this is anything but a normal recession. We have to be incredibly careful about using our past mental models today; they were built in a very different environment. Today, past experience is not useless, but if relied on blindly it can be dangerous. Some things will play out in the future as they have in the past, but many wont.

We needed to start using a first-principles approach a concept we shamelessly borrowed from physics. We took out a blank piece of paper, assumed we knew nothing, and instead of continuing to think by analogy, started questioning every assumption we make in our analysis.

Our decision to sell Melrose Industries is very similar to Buffetts sale of the airlines. We sold Melrose before the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting. It was a difficult decision, not because we cemented a loss but because we parted with a business we really liked, that was run by good management, and that was significantly undervalued when we bought it.

When we were buying Melrose we stress-tested it for a severe recession; however, the decline that Melrose is probably experiencing today did not occur to us in our wildest imagination. Melrose is a very strong player in two industries that have been impacted tremendously: the airlines space (it makes parts that go into planes and engines) and car parts (it is one of the largest makers of transmissions for cars). We talked to the company. It has credit lines and cash to give it immediate liquidity, but we are not sure if it will be enough.

We had applied the traditional recession mental model to our analysis, and we were wrong. Given the world we are looking at now, we should have sold it sooner.

Buying new planes is the last thing on airlines minds today. Also, only 20% of Melroses business comes from replacement parts. Melroses auto parts business (ironically, the business we worried about the most when we bought the stock) may be okay; it may even generate some profit; but we are not sure it will be able to sustain the company. We simply dont know what the losses are going to be in the airlines space and for how long. We have a tremendous respect for the Melrose management team theyre a big reason why we bought the stock but at this point the problem that Melrose is facing is bigger than them.

If you look carefully through your portfolio, youll see that weve positioned it to the opposite side of spectrum from the airlines. Most of our holdings are concentrated in four industries: defense, healthcare, tobacco (where we are permitted by clients), and telecommunications. These industries have one thing in common: They will not be structurally impacted by the virus.

Consumption of goods and services in the four industries is completely insensitive to the virus. These companies all have very stable cash flows and pricing power in the event of deflation theyll maintain their prices, while during inflation theyll raise them.

And one more thing

I am not a journalist or reporter; I am an investor who thinks through writing. This and other investment articles are just my thinking at the point they were written. However, investment research is not static, it is fluid. New information comes our way and we continue to do research, which may lead us to tweak and modify assumptions and thus to change our minds.

We are long-term investors and often hold stocks for years, but as luck may or may not have it, by the time you read this article we may have already sold the stock. I may or may not write about this company ever again. Think of this and other articles as learning and thinking frameworks. But they are not investment recommendations. The bottom line is this. If this article piques your interest in the company Ive mentioned, great. This should be the beginning, not the end, of your research.

Originally published on ContrarianEdge.com

Editor's Note: The summary bullets for this article were chosen by Seeking Alpha editors.

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.

Excerpt from:

When The Facts Change, We Change Our Minds (Anatomy Of A Sale) - Seeking Alpha

Artificial Intelligence: The Promises of An Avatar in 2020 – Universal News

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Imagine a day you wake up, and your entire day is scheduled. A virtual associate is assisting you throughout the day, from Making a medical appointment, booking a cab, ordering your favourite food according to your present mood, making a call when youre thinking about a particular person after listening to your thoughts. A day where you no longer have to utter a word, but your virtual assistant can listen to your thoughts and make your mind real in a matter of time?? This can be true in the near future.

A term coined by John McCarthy in 1956 turned to an avatar by the dawn of 21 st century.

Buildings an intelligent machine will not address the idea of artificial intelligence. The real question arises when the core of the matter is analyzed.

Approaching the concept of intelligence involves two aspects.Rationality and humanity. Brilliance without rationality is a mere memory, which cannot be called intelligent.

To move, to nod, to fidget, to scratch your head, to move your eyeballs An average human being makes 16000 decisions a day involuntarily. The human brain is a shell of wonders and billions of neurons swimming across the body, transmitting information in a fraction of seconds. Emulation of the human brain or making a computer digitally conscious is the primary objective of artificial intelligence.

The idea of AI can be simplified as the mimicking of the human thought process by a computer which makes the intelligence more flexible & cheap compared to the complex neural network of the human brain along with the fundamental characteristics of humans, such as the ability to reason, knowledge representation, planning, learning, movement, manipulation, to develop perception, discover meaning, generalize, or learn from experience and the toughest of all social and emotional intelligence. There are two distinct methods involved in the present development of AI.

SymbolicConnectionistAccording to the standard definition from Britannica it can be defined as

At the beginning of the creation of AI, it was the symbolic approach. Mere object recognition from enormous data in the database. Algorithms use the existing rules like grammar and syntax for predicting. The existing coding and programming trend demanded more clarity and advancement, which eventually popularized the mainstream of Artificial Intelligence called machine learning (ML).

The preexisted computer programming technique modified prior to AI is machine learning. The development from pattern recognition to Morphing of multiple data sets into a single data, ML helps in bringing advancement in every aspect of humankind. Later in the spectrum of AI, to respond more with humans, an artificial stress system is induced to the machine via Virtual neurotransmitters, which paved the way for Affective computing to achieve Enhancement in human-machine relationships.

Apart from the usual pattern identification, AI is now searching for all kinds of texture that humans cannot create within the scope of our biological capability. Like the creation of Adam in the bible, experts are in search of the living breath that can provide dexterity or subtle control of the thoughts to the machines, which is the most tedious task in the AI.

One of the major questions ever raised regarding AI was, are they huge robots who will take over the world someday, as seen in the movies and series?? The way sci-fi portrays AI as an enemy and a mistake committed by science wrong. This is a major misconception. AI is not only about creating huge robots but also the minute changes that can work on its own from a sensor to the software.

Narrow AIs are presently in use and service. The voice, face, fingerprint recognition and Siri, Alexa, and Cortana kind of virtual assistants in our mobile phones and other gadgets are the simple examples of the narrow Artificial Intelligence. The vision recognition in automated cars, self-driving cars, google glass are the advanced level of the narrow AI.

The intention behind the designing of these smart search engines and decision-making systems are for serving the purpose of complimenting and augment human abilities. Undoubtedly narrow Artificial Intelligence contributes a lot to the improvisation in our modern lifestyle. But unreaching the majority of human traits, it remains as mere machines operating with fed data.

Every advancement in the field of AI is analyzed based on the test run, followed by every stage. The final tests must meet the following criteria to take the program into further steps, like application and implementation.

Observing the behaviour of the system when a new input is introducedWeighing and adjusting of the input in the newly introduced system.

These steps are repeated an n number of times until the criterion matches else terminated. The involvement from never-ending algorithms to deep learning is not an overnight miracle. The progressive learning algorithm is a method where the algorithm can teach itself how to play chess; it can teach itself what product to recommend next online. And the models adapt when given new data.

When the system becomes self-sufficient, it can become an intellectual property. According to Oliver Schabenberger, SAS Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, machines can never replace humans; they can only mimic the human brain and thoughts to become the smartest machines from smarter machines.

The major challenge involved with Artificial Intelligence is data. There is no other practical way to incorporate data other than spoon-feeding the system. The large databases from different sects are clubbed to make a parent data pool is the theoretically existing solution. Considering the complexity and the practicality of such massive incorporation, researchers are still searching for better options.

The subsequent problem evolving from data deficiency is that the particular Artificial Intelligence is created for a particular task; this specialization limits it to the particular set they are designed for.

According to Russell and Noverg in the introduction to artificial intelligence agents, the specific characteristics of symbolic AI are characterized as A typical AI that analyzes its environment and takes actions that maximize its chance of success. Thats the reason for the success of a computer system in the games when playing against a human. This computational analysis featured with the help of statistical methods. When a human plays not to lose, a computer compares the game with all possible outcomes but is not driven by the spirit to win. This is where the emergence of NLP begins.

Natural language processing (NLP) is a drastic addition to AI. The ability of computers to analyze, understand, and generate human language, including speech is called natural language processing. PEPPER (affection bot) and SOPHIA (robot) are a few examples of the natural language processing systems. The present challenge is making NLP more emotionally stimulant.

An example for the emotional bot of the AI system is that when the AI robot SOPHIA was interviewed she said someday she would like to have kids and family, even though that statement was from the data set she was fed with, the choice of making that emotional statement shaken the whole world. Another similar occurrence was when she asked her creator, why did you create me?? None of the statements made were her direct choice of words but efficient programming that set her neural algorithms.

Artificial Intelligence, like electricity, is a general-purpose technology. The transparency offered by Artificial Intelligence is the most promising feature of this system. The introduction of AI in international relations and politics is a milestone. As a beginning, AI is introduced as an intern in international politics. Chatbot Design virtual agent AI system to understand and translate into human behaviour to support human experience and Robotic process automation (RPA) An application to function on repetitive commands of users without human interruption. Its essential to cognize the dilemma of the subjects when automated decision-making systems (ADS) is implemented into the public sphere for the institutions and democratic setups that are already existing on the virtue of peoples money (taxes, donations)

Even after the induction of the neurotransmitters and the artificial hormones, what is still lacking is the human-machine interface. There are still miles to go in the development of AI systems. From object recognitions to the Democratization of all essentials. Upon the transparency promised, Machine learning still complicates the field; whereas the ADS changes the game. As our research suggests, this is a source of anxiety for the general public and we dont even know half of the story. The illiteracy about the topic confuses the public and stuck in the shadow of doubts, this can hinder the whole growth of the AI. people should understand the ethical implications of using AI in everyday life to public interests, including politics.

AI stands as a promise of tomorrow when the whole nature goes against humankind, hoping that the technology we gave birth might stand for us. Maybe thats the promise of this avatar.

Also Read: New Invention of Artificial intelligence in Medicine with Stem Cells by WCM-Q

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Artificial Intelligence: The Promises of An Avatar in 2020 - Universal News

Czech Ambassador: Georgia among the best countries worldwide when it comes to combating Covid 19 – Georgianjournal

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Czech Ambassador: Georgia among the best countries worldwide when it comes to combating Covid 19

11 July, 2020

The meeting was also attended by the representatives of the health sector and the Czech non-governmental organization the Caritas Czech Republic in Georgia, which presented two new projects: Way to Home: Development of Adult Alternative Social Services in Georgia and Support to Primary Healthcare Strengthening in Georgia (Phase II), funded with more than 2 million euro from Czech Development Cooperation.

Related Stories:

UNICEF Launches Online Consultations For Pregnant Women Concerning COVID-19Georgia Acquires Up to 400,000 COVID-19 Tests and 50 Ventilators With World Bank SupportRussian MFA Statement About Lugar Research Center-Another Disinformation

Other Stories

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia responds to the statement of the Russian Foreign Ministry regarding Lugar's laboratory.

The UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution on the occupied territories of Georgia - "Cooperation with Georgia" within the framework of its 43rd session.

Given that one year has passed since June 20, 2019, it is interesting to see how the West assesses the developments in Georgia during this one year and what expectations it has for the October parliamentary elections.

The Eastern Partnership (EaP) marked its 10th anniversary in 2019. The round dates always come with reflections and new resolutions for the future.

The 8th March agreement concerned not only the change in the electoral system but justice and the impermissibility of political partiality in electoral processes, - stated the Ambassador of the European Union to Georgia, Carl Hartzell during his video broadcast.

The President of the United States of America Donald Trump sent a letter of congratulations to the Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Gakharia on Independence Day.

US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan has congratulated Georgia on the Independence Day.

Georgias president has warned that Russias struggle to contain the spread of coronavirus and an economic crisis compounded by an oil price collapse risk is triggering new Kremlin aggression beyond its borders, - reads an article published by Financial Times.

Production, advertising, use, and transportation of maps and other objects reflecting the violation of the principle of territorial integrity of Georgia will be considered as an illegal act.

Turkey has started accepting foreign patients from several countries, including from Georgia.

A true friend is known to be in trouble, and we have proved that we are true friends, -EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzel said during an online meeting with members of the European Business Association.

The Council of the European Union (EU) has approved a package of emergency macro-financial assistance for 10 countries as part of its Neighborhood and Enlargement Policy.

We would like to see more American companies invest in Georgia and more Georgian companies in the United States said US Ambassador Kelly Degnan during a virtual press conference.

The MEPs expressed their opinions about the political situation in Georgia at the discussion of the report on the implementation of the Association Agreement between the EU and Georgia.

Georgia a safe destination is a message that Georgian diplomats should send to people in their countries, - Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia said while talking to Georgian ambassadors abroad via a video conference today.

The United Nations will allocate USD 1 million for Georgia to help the country better respond to the immediate health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and protect the most vulnerable groups from the devastating socio-economic impacts of the health crisis.

U.S. Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, Congressmen Judy Arrington, and Markwayne Mullin have written to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, expressing concern over the expulsion of U.S. companies and businesses from Georgia.

The European Parliament on Friday approved 3 billion in loans to help EU neighbors and partner countries deal with the fallout of COVID-19.

Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili announced yesterday that she was pardoning Georgian opposition politicians Gigi Ugulava and Irakli Okruashvili, which she said was a very difficult decision.

According to the Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, the presidency of the Council of Europe of Georgia had a very high assessment at the international level.

The President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili talked to the President of the Republic of Finland Sauli Niinist on March 14.

The Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe will officially be transferred from Georgia to Greece today.

In an era of COVID-19 disinformation is becoming a tool for some states as a political leverage. Political scientist Giorgi Gobronidze explains why the issue matters.

Israel's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Georgia, Ran Gidor, has been in Tbilisi for only a few months.

Date

Flight Number / Direction

Other Stories

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia responds to the statement of the Russian Foreign Ministry regarding Lugar's laboratory.

The UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution on the occupied territories of Georgia - "Cooperation with Georgia" within the framework of its 43rd session.

Given that one year has passed since June 20, 2019, it is interesting to see how the West assesses the developments in Georgia during this one year and what expectations it has for the October parliamentary elections.

The Eastern Partnership (EaP) marked its 10th anniversary in 2019. The round dates always come with reflections and new resolutions for the future.

The 8th March agreement concerned not only the change in the electoral system but justice and the impermissibility of political partiality in electoral processes, - stated the Ambassador of the European Union to Georgia, Carl Hartzell during his video broadcast.

The President of the United States of America Donald Trump sent a letter of congratulations to the Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Gakharia on Independence Day.

US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan has congratulated Georgia on the Independence Day.

Georgias president has warned that Russias struggle to contain the spread of coronavirus and an economic crisis compounded by an oil price collapse risk is triggering new Kremlin aggression beyond its borders, - reads an article published by Financial Times.

Production, advertising, use, and transportation of maps and other objects reflecting the violation of the principle of territorial integrity of Georgia will be considered as an illegal act.

Here is the original post:

Czech Ambassador: Georgia among the best countries worldwide when it comes to combating Covid 19 - Georgianjournal

Litecoin, Stellars Lumen, and Trons TRX Daily Analysis July 8th, 2020 – Yahoo Finance

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Litecoin

Litecoin fell by 1.54% on Tuesday. Partially reversing Mondays 5.87% rally, Litecoin ended the day at $43.37.

A mixed start to the day saw Litecoin rise to an early morning intraday high $44.46 before hitting reverse.

Falling short of the first major resistance level at $45.03, Litecoin slid to a late intraday low $42.84.

Steering clear of the first major support level at $42.28, Litecoin recovered to $43 levels to limit the downside.

At the time of writing, Litecoin was down by 0.30% to $43.24. A bearish start to the day saw Litecoin fall from an early morning high $43.41 to a low $43.11

Litecoin left the major support and resistance levels untested early in the day.

Litecoin would need to move through the $43.56 pivot to support a run at the first major resistance level at $44.27.

Support from the broader market would be needed, however, for Litecoin to break back through to $44 levels.

Barring another crypto rally, the first major resistance level and Tuesdays high $44.46 would likely cap any upside.

Failure to move through the $43.56 pivot would bring the first major support level at $42.65 into play.

Barring an extended crypto sell-off, however, Litecoin should continue to steer clear of sub-$41 levels. The second major support level at $41.94 should limit any downside.

Major Support Level: $42.65

Major Resistance Level: $44.27

23.6% FIB Retracement Level: $62

38.2% FIB Retracement Level: $78

62% FIB Retracement Level: $104

Stellars Lumen rose by 2.76% on Tuesday. Following on from a 6.86% rally on Monday, Stellars Lumen ended the day at $0.07376.

A mixed start to the day saw Stellars Lumen fall to an early morning intraday low $0.070312 before finding support.

Steering clear of the first major support level at $0.06837, Stellars Lumen rallied to a late intraday high $0.074290.

Stellars Lumen broke through the first major resistance level at $0.07368. In spite of a late pullback, Stellars Lumen avoided a fall back through the first major resistance level.

At the time of writing, Stellars Lumen was up by 0.14% to $0.073861. A bullish start to the day saw Stellars Lumen rise from an early morning low $0.073852 to a high $0.073861.

Stellars Lumen left the major support and resistance levels untested early on.

Story continues

Stellars Lumen would need to avoid a fall through the $0.07280 pivot to support a run at the first major resistance level at $0.07526.

Support from the broader market would be needed, however, for Stellars Lumen to break out from Tuesdays high $0.074290.

Barring another broad-based crypto rally, the first major resistance level at $0.07526 would likely limit any upside.

Failure to avoid a fall through the $0.07280 pivot could see Stellars Lumen struggle throughout the day.

A pullback through to sub-$0.072 levels would bring the first major support level at $0.07128 into play.

Barring an extended crypto sell-off, however, Stellars Lumen should steer clear of sub-$0.070 levels. The second major support level sits at $0.06881.

Major Support Level: $0.07128

Major Resistance Level: $0.07526

23.6% FIB Retracement Level: $0.1051

38% FIB Retracement Level: $0.14336518

62% FIB Retracement Level: $0.2050

Trons TRX slid by 4.81% on Tuesday. Reversing most of Mondays 6.53% rally, Trons TRX ended the day at $0.01726.

It was a mixed start to the day. Trons TRX rallied to an early morning intraday high $0.018150 before hitting reverse.

Falling short of the first major resistance level at $0.018520, Trons TRX slid to a late intraday low $0.017111.

Trons TRX fell through the first major resistance level at $0.01732 before finding support. A move back through to $0.01720 levels reduced the deficit on the day.

At the time of writing, Trons TRX was down by 1.41% to $0.017018. A bearish start to the day saw Trons TRX fall from an early morning high $0.017146 to a low $0.016865.

Trons TRX tested the first major support level at $0.01686 early on.

Trons TRX would need to move through the $0.01750 pivot level to support a run at the first major resistance level at $0.01790.

Support from the broader market would be needed, however, for Trons TRX to break out from $0.01750 levels.

Barring an extended crypto rally, the first major resistance level at $0.01790 would likely cap any upside.

Failure to move through the $0.01750 pivot level would bring the first major support level at $0.01686 back into play.

Barring another extended crypto sell-off, Trons TRX should steer clear of the second major support level at $0.01647

Major Support Level: $0.01686

Major Resistance Level: $0.01790

23.6% FIB Retracement Level: $0.0322

38.2% FIB Retracement Level: $0.0452

62% FIB Retracement Level: $0.0663

Please let us know what you think in the comments below

Thanks, Bob

This article was originally posted on FX Empire

Originally posted here:

Litecoin, Stellars Lumen, and Trons TRX Daily Analysis July 8th, 2020 - Yahoo Finance

Litecoin Reaches Overbought Region at $46, May Face Selling Pressure – Coin Idol

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Jul 10, 2020 at 10:56 // News

Litecoin had earlier shot upward in its recent rebound. The price is retracing after reaching a high of $46.

In its earlier uptrend, the coin has been trapped between $41 and $42 for over a week before the eventual breakout. The price broke the $42 resistance and rallied to $46 high. The rally could not reach the $50 overhead resistance because the coin reached the overbought region of the market. In the overbought region, there was a bearish reaction.

The crypto fell to $44 low and resumed a fresh uptrend. The new uptrend is facing penetration difficult at the $44.50 resistance. This may cause further downward move. On the upside, if there is a strong bounce above $44, the momentum will propel the price to break the resistance at $44 and $46 then rally above the $50 overhead resistance. Litecoin will be compelled to a sideways move if the current resistance is not breached.

The recent retracement was because the coin was above the 80% range of the daily stochastic. LTC was in the overbought region as sellers emerged to push prices down. After retracement, price finds support above EMAs. However, if the support above the EMAs holds, Litecoin will resume a fresh uptrend. The crypto will rise as long as the price is above the EMAs.

Key Resistance levels: $80, $100, $120

Key Support levels: $50, $40, $20

Litecoins upward move is intact if the bulls sustain the bullish momentum above the EMAs. On the downside, LTC will be weakened if the bears break below the EMAs. In other words, if price falls below $43 support, LTC will resume a downward move.

Disclaimer. This analysis and forecast are the personal opinions of the author that are not a recommendation to buy or sell cryptocurrency and should not be viewed as an endorsement by CoinIdol. Readers should do their own research before investing funds.

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Litecoin Reaches Overbought Region at $46, May Face Selling Pressure - Coin Idol

Litecoin (LTC) Down $0.44 Over Past 4 Hours, Started Today Down 2.14%; Price Base in Formation Over Past 90 Days – CFDTrading

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Litecoin 4 Hour Price Update

Updated July 10, 2020 07:19 AM GMT (03:19 AM EST)

Litecoin closed the last 4 hour candle down 0.99% ($0.44); this denotes the 2nd candle in a row a decrease has occurred. Out of the 5 instruments in the Top Cryptos asset class, Litecoin ended up ranking 2nd for the four-hour candle in terms of price change relative to the last 4 hour candle.

Litecoin entered today at $44.37, down 2.14% ($0.97) from the previous day. The price move occurred on volume that was down 30.06% from the day prior, but up 58.99% from the same day the week before. Relative to other instruments in the Top Cryptos asset class, Litecoin ranked 4th since the previous day in terms of percentage price change. The daily price chart of Litecoin below illustrates.

The first thing we should note is that the current price of Litecoin is sitting close to its 20, 50 and 100 day moving averages; moving average crosses often indicate a change in momentum, so this may be worth keeping an eye on. Also of note is that on a 90 day basis price appears to be forming a base which could the stage for it being a support/resistance level going forward. For additional context, note that price has gone up 8 out of the past 14 days.

Over on Twitter, here were the top tweets about Litecoin:

Our $LTC Litecoin wallet is now offline for maintenance.When it comes back online, your LTC wallet address will be differentIf you have your old address whitelisted or saved anywhere you MUST update it, as any funds sent to the old address will not be recoverable.

Im going to keep this giveaway going for quite a while longer.I want to give this sponsor more exposure since we had a few big giveaways that hid this sponsors giveaway time of $60 in LiteCoin.

I also like to think of #Litecoin as digital land. If Litecoin were the size of the U.S. one litecoin would be the equivalent of 460 acres of land. At $46 per #LTC this means you can buy up this digital land at $.10/acre. The land rush is on! Head West young man and get some!

See more here:

Litecoin (LTC) Down $0.44 Over Past 4 Hours, Started Today Down 2.14%; Price Base in Formation Over Past 90 Days - CFDTrading

Bitcoin and Altcoins Start Corrective Decrease, Key Supports Nearby – Cryptonews

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Bitcoin price failed to clear the USD 9,500 resistance level and recently started a downside correction. BTC traded below the USD 9,300 support level and it is currently (08:30 UTC) struggling to stay above USD 9,150. If it fails to stay above USD 9,050 and USD 9,000, there are chances of a strong decline.

Similarly, most major altcoins started a downside correction, including ethereum, XRP, litecoin, bitcoin cash, BNB, EOS, TRX, ADA, and XLM. ETH/USD is down close to 3% and it is trading below USD 240. XRP/USD is also down over 3% and it is trading well below USD 0.200.

Total market capitalization

After a steady rise, bitcoin price struggled to continue higher above the USD 9,480 and USD 9,500 levels. BTC is currently correcting lower and it is trading well below USD 9,300. The price is now approaching the USD 9,150 support and it might revisit the USD 9,050 and USD 9,000 support levels.If there are more losses below USD 9,000, there is a risk of more downsides. If not, the price is likely to bounce back above the USD 9,300 resistance level.

Ethereum price is down over 2% and it is trading below the USD 240 level. It seems like ETH is approaching the USD 235 support level. The next major support is near the USD 230 level, below which the bears are likely to take control.Conversely, the price might start a fresh increase above the USD 240 and USD 242 resistance levels. The next major resistance is seen near USD 248.

Bitcoin cash price failed to continue above USD 245 and recently declined below the USD 240 support. The current price action suggests BCH is likely to continue lower towards the USD 232 and USD 230 support levels. On the upside, the USD 240 level might once again act as a barrier in the near term.Litecoin failed to stay above the USD 45.50 pivot level and it recently started a downside correction. LTC is trading below USD 45.00 and it is approaching the USD 44.00 level. The first key support is near the USD 43.20 level, below which the price might test the main USD 42.20 support zone. XRP price traded to a new weekly high above USD 0.210 before starting a fresh decrease. The price broke the USD 0.202 and USD 0.200 support levels. XRP is now approaching the USD 0.196 support and it might even continue to move down towards the USD 0.192 support. On the upside, the USD 0.202 is a hurdle before the USD 0.205 resistance.

In the past three sessions, a few small-capitalization altcoins gained over 10%, including ERD, BTT, SERO, and TMTG. Conversely, FXC, HEDG, DOGE, VET, SC, and SNT are down more than 10%.

Overall, bitcoin price is showing a few bearish signs below USD 9,200. If BTC continues to move down towards USD 9,000, there is a risk of a sharp decline. On the other hand, the bulls are likely to aim a fresh increase towards USD 9,500._____

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Bitcoin and Altcoins Start Corrective Decrease, Key Supports Nearby - Cryptonews

Flushing developer throws mini-empire into bankruptcy – The Real Deal

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A real estate portfolio that stretches across Flushing, Manhattan and Long Island has been pulled from the auction block as its owner filed for bankruptcy.

Flushing developer and supermarket owner Jeffrey Wu threw three LLCs holding mezzanine debt on his properties into bankruptcy Wednesday. The loans, which total $15.3 million, had been put up for sale in an auction scheduled to close at 10 a.m. Wednesday. The auction was postponed.

Wu, who also goes by the name Myint J. Kyaw, also filed for personal bankruptcy in New Yorks Eastern District court.

Wu did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The properties covered by his mezzanine loans include 41-60 Main Street in Downtown Flushing a 100,00-square-foot office and retail building and 50 units remaining in the 99-unit condo development at 133-38 Sanford Avenue.

The pledge interests also include a 28,000-square-foot commercial condo in Chinatown at 80 Elizabeth Street thats leased to Hong Kong Supermarket a chain of groceries Wu helped found. The final piece of the portfolio is a 184,000-square-foot industrial complex in Deer Park at 377 Carlls Path.

Wus personal bankruptcy filing lists assets under $50,000 and liabilities from $50 million to $100 million.

Its not clear what caused the loans to fall into distress, and the problems predated the coronavirus. Wus lenders filed their notice of their creditors interests in his properties in January 2018.

That was when Wu received a $109 million financing package a $94 million first mortgage and a $15 million mezzanine loan for 41-60 Main Street from Eli Tabaks Bluestone Group. Wus personal bankruptcy filing lists Bluestone as a creditor with a $7 million claim.

Contact Rich Bockmann at [emailprotected] or 908-415-5229.

Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly identified the address of the property on Sanford Avenue.

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Flushing developer throws mini-empire into bankruptcy - The Real Deal

A Look at Municipal Bankruptcies Over the Past 20 Years – The Pew Charitable Trusts

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Editors note: This piece was updated July 7, 2020, to clarify the reference to U.S. Steel operations in Fairfield, Alabama.

On May 19, the city of Fairfield, Alabama, filed for bankruptcy, becoming the first U.S. city or county to file for Chapter 9 in close to a year. The 10,500-person town is seeking protection from creditors while it comes up with a plan to adjust its debt.

Fairfield, located just southwest of Birmingham, has struggled to keep up with its funding obligations since U.S. Steel closed portions of a facility in 2015 and Walmart closed a Supercenter in 2016. After the closures, the local transit authority stopped bus service, the city faced a shut-off of water service for failure to pay, and the county took over the police force.

Fairfields financial woes started well before the coronavirus pandemic. But as the economic effects of COVID-19 threaten municipal finances nationwide because of lost tax revenue and increased costs, more localities may look to bankruptcy as a means of extending the terms of debts, reducing the amount of principal or interest, or refinancing.

Municipal bankruptcies under Chapter 9 of the federal code are relatively rare; the process can be costly and time-consuming and can cause long-term damage to a localitys reputation. Bankruptcies also commonly result in increased taxes, higher fees for services, reduced benefits for workers, payments to receivers and emergency managers, lawyers fees, and elevated future borrowing costs. Although bankruptcy can be one way for a town or city to address financial distress, policymakers should strongly consider the potential costs.

Pews research has found that bymonitoring local fiscal conditions, states often can identify problems early and provide assistance to local governments to try to avoid bankruptcy altogether.

Note: Pew researchers gathered Chapter 9 bankruptcy filings from the Public Access to Court Electronic Records database as of May 2020. Researchers limited data collection to 2001 or later because some cases filed before then are sealed or archived by the court and do not show up in the database. Researchers excluded the Puerto Rico Chapter 9 bankruptcy filings in the database because those cases, filed in 2017 and 2019, are being dealt with through Title III of the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act. They also excluded mistaken filings, test filings, and transfers in the database. The number of filings includes cases that were later dismissed.

Jeff Chapman is a director, Adrienne Lu is a manager, and Logan Timmerhoff is a senior associate with The Pew Charitable Trusts state fiscal health project.

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A Look at Municipal Bankruptcies Over the Past 20 Years - The Pew Charitable Trusts