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Make America Spell Again? 25 of Donald Trump’s Twitter Spelling Errors – Newsweek

Posted on June 26, 2017 by Danzig

President Donald Trumps unabashed use of his @realDonaldTrump Twitter account has been met with praise by some and eye rolls from others. Throughout the 2016 campaign, Trump used Twitter to send derogatory messages about a range of characters, from opponents little Marco Rubio and low-energy Jeb Bush to so ridiculous Major League Baseball.

Trumps use of Twitter has led to controversy, particularly when he accused former President Barack Obama of wiretapping his campaign and hinted that he had tapes of his conversation with former FBI Director James Comey (he doesnt).

His Twitter usealso has revealed that spelling probably wasnt the presidents best subject in elementary school. Can you spell better than Trump? Here are 25words Trump has spelled wrong, or made a typo on, over the last year and a half.

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The president misspelled the last name of the candidate he supported in the special election in Georgias 6th Congressional District.

Karen Handle's opponent in #GA06 can't even vote in the district he wants to represent, he tweeted June 19, before deleting and correcting.

Trumps "covfefe" tweet received tons of coverage.White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer appeared serious when he claimed the president and a select group of people knew exactly what he meant.It appears he meant coverage.

Despite the constant negative press covfefe, Trump tweeted in the early morning of May 31, before deleting it hours later.

Trump has had a very difficult time with the word counsel, part of White House Counsel Don McGahns title and Robert Muellers position in investigating Trump.

On May 18, the day after Mueller was appointed special counsel, Trump tweeted and deleted, With all of the illegal acts that took place in the Clinton campaign & Obama Administration, there was never a special councel appointed!

Just before former deputy attorney general Sally Yatess testimony before Congress, Trump alsomisspelledthe word.

Ask Sally Yates, under oath, if she knows how classified information got into the newspapers soon after she explained it to W.H. Council, he tweeted and deleted.

Principal vs. principle is a common elementary spelling lesson. It appears the president still doesntunderstand the difference, at least according to a deleted tweet from March 7.

Buy American & hire American are the principals at the core of my agenda, which is: JOBS, JOBS, JOBS! Thank you @exxonmobil, he tweeted.

In one of the presidents more infamous tweets, Trump misspelled tap in accusing Obama of wiretapping Trump Tower. Unlike most of Trumps other tweets with spelling errors, he has not deleted this one.

Trump struggled greatlyin spelling "hereby" correctly when calling for an investigation into Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumers ties to Russia in a tweet on March 3. He originally spelled it hear by before incorrectly changing it to hearby before finally getting it right with hereby.

Trump made an embarrassing spelling mistake upon his inauguration, tweeting that he was honered to serve as the 45th president. He deleted the tweet after it was up for about fourhours.

He made the same mistake, using an e instead of a second o, while celebrating a self-proclaimed debate win.

Wow, every poll said I won the debate last night. Great honer! he tweeted and deleted February 26, 2016.

The president struggled with the wordunprecedented in a since-deleted December 17, 2016 tweet.

China steals United States Navy research drone in international waters - rips it out of water and takes it to China in unpresidented act, he tweeted.

Trump deleted a tweet December 15, 2016, after adding an e to the word wait.

If Russia, or some other entity, was hacking, why did the White House waite so long to act? Why did they only complain after Hillary lost? he tweeted.

Trump had a particularly rough spelling week from December 10 to17, 2016. On the 10th, he attemptedto discredit a CNN report on his involvement with The Apprenticeas president by tweeting:Reports by @CNN that I will be working on The Apprentice during my Presidency, even part time, are rediculous & untrue - FAKE NEWS!

Then-candidate Trump stumbled in attempting to blame Obama and Clinton for terrorism in September2016.

Saturdays attacks show that failed Obama/Hillary Clinton polices wont keep us safe! I will Make America Safe Again! he tweeted and deleted.

In trying to attract Bernie Sanders voters, he misspelled waste" (and seemed to have trouble with the differences between "there,""their"and "they're").

Looks to me like the Bernie people will fight. If not, there blood, sweat and tears was a total waist of time. Kaine stands for opposite! he tweeted and deleted July 24, 2016.

The weekend in Texas and Arizona wss fantastic. I raised a lot of money for the Republican National Committee @Reince, he tweeted and deleted June 20, 2016.

Crooked Hillary just can't close the dael with Bernie. It will be the same way with ISIS, and China on trade, and Mexico at the border. Bad! he tweeted and deleted May 8, 2016.

A word that has certainly knocked manymiddle schoolers out of spelling bees, "judgment" drops the e at the end of the word judge.

Hillary has bad judgement! Trumptweeted and deleted May 16, 2016.

The famed basketball coach was a staunch supporter of Trump during the campaign, but that didnt prevent Trump from misspelling his name on Twitter.

I will be campaigning in Indiana all day. Things are looking great, and the support of Bobby Night has been so amazing. Today will be fun! he tweeted and deleted May 2, 2016.

(Of course, rival Ted Cruz clearly edged Trump on a big basketball-related gaffe, calling a hoop abasketball ring.)

These politicians like Cruz and Graham, who have watched ISIS and many other problems develope for years, do nothing to make thing better!, Trump tweeted and deleted March 24, 2016.

.@AndreaTantaros- You are a true journalistic profesional. I so agree with what you say. Keep up the great work! he tweeted and deleted March 19, 2016.

It is Clinton and Sanders people who disrupted my rally in Chicago - and then they say I must talk to my people. Phony politicions! he tweeted and deleted March 12, 2016.

Although Trump has praised Haley since naming herU.S. ambassador to the United Nations, he wasn'talways been a big fan.

The people of South Carolina are embarrassed by Nikki Hailey! he tweeted and deleted March 1, 2016.

Trump doesnt seem to mind that he misspelled paid in this March 6, 2016 tweet, which is still up.

Then-candidate Donald Trump tried out a variety of derogatory nicknames for his opponents after low-energy Jeb Bush caught on. But he had some issues spelling lightweight, which he was using to describe Rubio.

Lying Ted Cruz and leightweight chocker Marco Rubio teamed up last night in a last ditch effort to stop our great movement. They failed! he tweeted and deleted February 26, 2016.

Did you catch the other error in the above tweet? Trump really struggled with the term lightweight choker.

Leightweight chocker Marco Rubio looks like a little boy on stage. Not presidential material! he tweeted and deleted, also on February 26.

Lose vs. Loose is another elementary school grammar lesson Trump likely struggled with, if his Twitter is any indication.

Although Trump has spelled Barack right most of the time, he has also added an extra r on a fewoccasions.

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Make America Spell Again? 25 of Donald Trump's Twitter Spelling Errors - Newsweek

Japanese airbag maker Takata files for bankruptcy, gets US sponsor – Reuters

Posted on June 26, 2017 by Danzig

TOKYO Japan's Takata Corp (7312.T), the firm at the centre of the auto industry's biggest ever product recall, filed for bankruptcy protection in the United States and Japan, and said it would be bought for $1.6 billion by U.S.-based Key Safety Systems.

In the biggest bankruptcy of a Japanese manufacturer, Takata faces tens of billions of dollars in costs and liabilities resulting from almost a decade of recalls and lawsuits.

Its airbags have been linked to at least 17 deaths around the world.

TK Holdings, its U.S. operations, filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Delaware on Sunday with liabilities of $10 billion to $50 billion, while the Japanese parent filed for protection with the Tokyo District Court early on Monday.

Takata's total liabilities stand at 1.7 trillion yen ($15 billion), Tokyo Shoko Research Ltd estimated.

Final liabilities would depend on the outcome of discussions with carmaker customers who have borne the bulk of the replacement costs, a lawyer for the company said.

The filings open the door to the financial rescue by Key Safety Systems (KSS), a Michigan-based parts supplier owned by China's Ningbo Joyson Electronic Corp (600699.SS).

In a deal that took 16 months to hammer out, KSS agreed to take over Takata's viable operations, while the remaining operations will be reorganised to continue churning out millions of replacement airbag inflators, the two firms said.

The U.S. company would keep "substantially all" of Takata's 60,000 employees in 23 countries and maintain its factories in Japan. The agreement is meant to allow Takata to continue operating without interruptions and with minimal disruptions to its supply chain.

"We believe taking these actions in Japan and the U.S. is the best way to address the ongoing costs and liabilities of the

airbag inflator issues with certainty and in an organised manner," Takata CEO Shigehisa Takada said in a statement.

Takada said he and top management would resign "when the timing of the restructuring is set."

His family - which still has control of the 84-year-old company - likely would cease to be shareholders.

Jason Luo, president and CEO of KSS, said in a statement the "underlying strength" of Takata's business had not diminished

despite the airbag recall, citing its skilled employee base, geographic reach and other safety products such as seat belts.

The companies expect to seal definitive agreements for the sale in coming weeks and complete the twin bankruptcy processes in the first quarter of 2018.

The filings have, however, not resolved all issues.

Honda Motor Co (7267.T), Takata's biggest customer, said it had reached no final agreement with Takata on responsibilities for the recall.

Honda said it would continue talks with the supplier but anticipated difficulties in recovering the bulk of its claims.

UNPRECEDENTED RECALLS

Takata faces billions in lawsuits and recall-related costs to its clients, including Honda, BMW (BMWG.DE), Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) and others which have been paying recall costs to date.

It also faces potential liabilities stemming from class action lawsuits in the United States, Canada and other countries.

Global transport authorities have ordered about 100 million inflators to be recalled.

Industry sources have said that recall costs could climb to about $10 billion.

The ammonium nitrate compound used in the airbags was found to become volatile with age and prolonged exposure to heat,causing the devices to explode.

Costs so far have pushed the company into the red for three years, and it has been forced to sell subsidiaries topay fines and other liabilities.

Founded as a textiles company in 1933, Takata beganproducing airbags in 1987 and at its peak became the world's No.2 producer of the safety products.

It also produces one-third ofall seatbelts used in vehicles sold globally, along withother components.

The Tokyo Stock Exchange said its shares would be delisted on July 27. The stock has collapsed 95 percent since January 2014 as the recalls mounted.

(Reporting by Naomi Tajitsu; Additional reporting by David Shepardson on Washington D.C., Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware and Maki Shiraki in Tokyo; Editing by William Mallard, Stephen Coates and Edwina Gibbs)

Activist investor Daniel Loeb's Third Point LLC on Sunday unveiled a stake of more than 1 percent in Switzerland's Nestle SA and urged the world's largest packaged foods maker to improve its margins, buy back stock and shed non-core businesses.

FRANKFURT German insurer Allianz expects to book a loss of around 200 million euros ($224 million) from the sale of private bank Oldenburgische Landesbank to U.S. private equity firm Apollo , it said on Sunday.

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Japanese airbag maker Takata files for bankruptcy, gets US sponsor - Reuters

Takata’s woes expected to continue beyond bankruptcy filing amid mounting recall costs – CNBC

Posted on June 26, 2017 by Danzig

"A lot of people are suspecting that it won't cover the total cost. They're saying it's going to be about $5 billion in cost to get all these airbags replaced. There's only $2 billion worth of assets," Brauer said. This would leave affected automakers to cover the rest of the recall and replacement costs.

Earlier this year, Takata agreed to pay $1 billion in criminal penalties stemming from its allegedly fraudulent conduct over the sales of defective airbag inflators.

At the time, it announced it would establish two restitution funds: A $125 million fund for individuals physically injured by the faulty airbags who have yet to reach a settlement with Takata, as well as a $850 million fund to shoulder the airbag recall and replacement costs incurred by affected auto manufacturers.

Janet Lewis, head of industrials research in Asia at Macquarie Capital Securities, said that for automakers, it wasn't just about paying for the recall.

They also need to ensure Takata keeps producing the replacement airbags, she told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Monday.

"The fact that they appear to have reached an agreement to sell the assets to KSS should enable this to continue," she said. "The (automakers) have been expecting that ... Takata was not going to recover sufficiently to pay them back."

"They have provisioned already for the losses related to the recalls," Lewis added.

Honda said in a statement on Monday that it has not reached any agreements with Takata about how much of the recall cost it would bear, but it would continue to seek to recover the costs from the troubled parts-maker.

But it added that it expected it will become difficult to recover the majority of the claims.

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Takata's woes expected to continue beyond bankruptcy filing amid mounting recall costs - CNBC

Bankruptcy guru Edward Altman sees similarities to 2007 in the credit market today – Yahoo Finance

Posted on June 26, 2017 by Danzig

Legendarybankruptcy expert Dr. Edward Altmancautioned that this benign credit cycle characterized by low default rates, low yields, low spreads, and lots of liquidity could come to an abrupt end.

Its been a terrific market for investors for quite a long time and if anything is concerning its that we now are more than eight years into a benign credit cycle, Altman, a professor at NYU Stern School of Business, told Yahoo Finance. Weve never had such a long benign cycle. And just that one little fact is something that we should be concerned about because if it comes to one and it could come to an end very dramatically.

Altman, the creator of the financial-distress sniffingAltman Z-Score, warned in mid-2007 of a Great Credit Bubble and that there was going to be trouble in the market.He predictedthat a meltdown would stem from corporate defaults. While the primary culprit of the financial crisis turned out to be mortgage-backed securities, investors who heeded Altmans warning nevertheless avoided a lot of grief.

So, how does todays market compare to the market in 2007.

There are some similarities, yes, although the situation back in the great financial crisis was pre-meditated by the mortgage-backed securities and we dont have that problem now, he said.

Troublingly, Altmansees the reckless behaviorof 2007 surfacing again.

Lehman Brothers world headquarters is shown in New York, the day the 158-year-old investment bank, choked by the credit crisis and falling real estate values, filed for bankruptcy. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

Back in 2007 prior to the crisis in 08 and 09, the fundamentals of credit risk of the companies issuing bonds and taking out loans were quite low, he said.And the similarity that I see now between 2007 and 2016 is very similar fundamentals, quite a bit high risk and it doesnt seem to bother the market because its the only game in town in terms of getting yield greater than what you can get for low-risk securities like governments and high-grade corporates.

In other words, investors arent buying junk bonds just because the risk-reward balance is favorable. Theyre buying because the rewards of investing in lower risk bonds just arent cutting it anymore.

Altman is perhaps best known for the Z-Score, a formula he created 50 years ago thats used to predict bankruptcies. Since that time, he noticed that bankruptcies have gotten increasingly bigger.

[What] Ive seen over the years is larger and larger companies filing for bankruptcy on a regular basis. On average, in the United States, something like 15 more than $1 billion companies, in terms of liabilities, go bankrupt every year, on average, Altman said. This year already its 13. Last year, it was almost 40.

He noted that inflation has something to do with it, but whats actually happening is companies have been taking advantage of debt and low interest rates like never before, and the corporate debt ratios are way up.

Speaking about the Z-score, if you compare the average Z-score of companies in 2007 with the average in 2016, which is the last time we looked at it, guess what. The average is actually lower today than it was in 2007, and 2007 was right before the great financial crisis, and of course, in 08 and 09 we saw a tremendous increase in corporate bond defaults and loans.

Low Z-scores are associated with financial distress.

He added: So the good news is that its no worse, but the bad news is, fundamentally, the companies are no better than they were back in 2007at least by our model.

At the moment whats keeping companies from going bankrupt as they did during the financial crisis is the incredible amount of liquidity and lowinterest rates.

Well see how long that lasts.

Julia La Roche is a finance reporter at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter.

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Bankruptcy guru Edward Altman sees similarities to 2007 in the credit market today - Yahoo Finance

Japan press – Takata expected to file for bankruptcy protection in Tokyo – ForexLive

Posted on June 26, 2017 by Danzig

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Japan press - Takata expected to file for bankruptcy protection in Tokyo - ForexLive

Scientists "Turn Off" Tumor-Protecting Protein in New Mesothelioma Study, According to Surviving Mesothelioma – Benzinga

Posted on June 26, 2017 by Danzig

New research suggests that microRNAs may be the key to downregulating PD-L1 and improving immunotherapy treatment for malignant mesothelioma.

Raleigh, NC (PRWEB) June 25, 2017

Australian researchers studying the protein PD-L1 have developed a way to potentially turn off the mechanism that lets mesothelioma tumors hide from the immune system. Surviving Mesothelioma has the full story. Click here to read it now.

Doctors at the Asbestos DIseases Research Institute at the University of Sydney found key differences in the action of certain microRNAs among mesothelioma patients with elevated levels of PD-L1.

"In the same patient series, PD-L1 expression was also associated with downregulation of microRNAs previously shown to have tumour suppressor activity in malignant pleural mesothelioma," writes Steven C. Kao, the lead author on the paper.

According to the study in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, the researchers determined that it is possible to downregulate PD-L1 expression by inserting "mimic" microRNAs into mesothelioma cells in the lab.

"This is especially noteworthy since mesothelioma patients who test positive for PD-L1 overexpression are more likely to have a non-epithelioid type of mesothelioma and poorer odds of survival," says Alex Strauss, Managing Editor for Surviving Mesothelioma.

For the details of the new clinical trial and more about PD-L1 and microRNAs in mesothelioma, see MicroRNAs May Be Key to Better Immunotherapy for Mesothelioma, now available on the Surviving Mesothelioma website.

Kao, SC, et al, "Tumour suppressor microRNAs contribute to the regulation of PD-L1 expression in malignant pleural mesothelioma", June 16, 2017, Journal of Thoracic Oncology, Epub ahead of print, http://www.jto.org/article/S1556-0864(17)30460-4/fulltext

For more than a decade, Surviving Mesothelioma has brought readers the most important and ground-breaking news on the causes, diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma. All Surviving Mesothelioma news is gathered and reported directly from the peer-reviewed medical literature. Written for patients and their loved ones, Surviving Mesothelioma news helps families make more informed decisions.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2017/06/prweb14458786.htm

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Scientists "Turn Off" Tumor-Protecting Protein in New Mesothelioma Study, According to Surviving Mesothelioma - Benzinga

The Left’s violence is only logical – Conservative Review

Posted on June 26, 2017 by Danzig

Conservative Review

The Left's violence is only logical
Conservative Review
While the modern Left shares the older progressives' understanding that power creates right, it does not share their blind faith in institutions like government. No, society's social institutions and government structures are tools of oppression. The ...

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The Left's violence is only logical - Conservative Review

UKIP should not become anti-Islam, party’s Welsh MEP warns – BBC News

Posted on June 26, 2017 by Danzig

BBC News

UKIP should not become anti-Islam, party's Welsh MEP warns
BBC News
Mr Gill told BBC Wales, government should not dictate what "you can and can't wear" and said he did not want to associate himself with the campaign. UKIP said the veil was an "instrument of oppression", adding it sought to "lift the veil" on "that ...

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UKIP should not become anti-Islam, party's Welsh MEP warns - BBC News

Liquor traders condemn tough new regulations – Independent Online

Posted on June 26, 2017 by Danzig

The Western Cape Liquor Traders Organisation (WCLTO) has lambasted the provincial government for its new liquor regulations, saying they were part of the DA and Premier Helen Zilles agenda to shut down black and coloured-owned businesses in the townships.

The organisation charged they were never consulted before the regulations were passed, despite the direct impact they would have on their businesses.

The regulations approved by the provincial legislature in May take effect from July 1.

Provincial government believes the changes will allow the province to take the toughest stance to date" against the irresponsible and illegal sale of liquor, which they cited as a major contributor towards alcohol-related harms in the Western Cape.

According to the provincial government, seven public consultation sessions were held across the province between January 27 and February 7.

Zille had said amendments to the regulations include the fact that the maximum penalty for non-compliance which the Liquor Licensing Tribunal (LLT) may issue was increased from R20 000 to R100 000. She said liquor inspectors were compelled to issue notices of non-compliance to all illegal outlets. Previously, liquor inspectors only inspected licence holders and law enforcement dealt with the illegal outlets.

The WCLTO says the regulations are an attempt to limit their economic participation. They want the regulations scrapped and a new process established.

As a result of the policies and regulations of this racially-biased provincial government, a list of would-be official business players are prevented from acquiring relevant licences. Most amazingly, and absurdly, these amendments empower Western Cape Liquor Authority (WCLA) inspectors to enter the premises of these aspiring holders to do what if the person has subjected to a constructive denial of a licence? asked WCLTO provincial secretary Lefa Mapilo.

For far too long we have watched and been complicit in our own oppression as witnessed in the continual spatial apartheid; this government can rest assured that we are not going to sit back and allow economic apartheid to apply to us, said Mapilo.

Community Safety MEC Dan Plato said more than 160 comments were received on the regulations and all were considered accordingly. He said his office never received any complaints from the WCLTO.

The Western Cape has a serious problem with alcohol. The abuse of substances in this province, and alcohol in particular, is considered to be one of the key causes of car crashes and interpersonal violence. It is unfortunate that the complainant does not seem to be aware of the limitations of the provincial liquor act or the differences between the spheres of government when it comes to the regulation of alcohol."

He urged the organisation and its members to desist from operating outside of the confines of the various laws.

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Liquor traders condemn tough new regulations - Independent Online

Koch network to Trump administration: You are never going to win the war on drugs. Drugs won. – The Denver Post

Posted on June 26, 2017 by Danzig

COLORADO SPRINGS The Trump administrations tough talk on marijuana is creating an unusual alliance: pot smokers and the conservative Koch political network.

Mark Holden, one of the influential networks top leaders, decried President Donald Trumps administration for returning to the harsh sentencing era of the war on drugs.

You are never going to win the war on drugs. Drugs won, he told reporters as the network opened a three-day retreat Saturday at The Broadmoor resort in Colorado Springs.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions directive to re-evaluate marijuana policies is a particular problem. Even though it remains a federal crime to possess and use marijuana, he said, its legal in a number of states, so we have to come to grips with that somehow.

Earlier this month, Sessions asked Congress to repeal federal protections for medical marijuana, citing a historic drug epidemic related to opiates. The 2014 policy prohibits the Justice Department from using federal dollars to block states from legalizing the use, distribution, possession or cultivation of medical marijuana.

When it comes to medical marijuana, Holden argued it should be off-limits to a federal law enforcement crackdown.

Holden, the general counsel for Koch Industries who leads a network-backed effort to address overcriminalization and criminal justice reform, was cautious about reading too much into his stance.

Im not here to say our position is legalize drugs or anything else, he said, adding: But I dont think that we should criminalize those types of things and we should let the states decide.

The approach fits with the conservative philosophies advanced by Charles and David Koch as part of their policy and political work. Holden suggested Sessions position represents a failed big government top-down approach.

Its based on fear and emotion in my opinion, he added.

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Koch network to Trump administration: You are never going to win the war on drugs. Drugs won. - The Denver Post

One year on: Has the Punisher fixed the crime? – NEWS.com.au

Posted on June 26, 2017 by Danzig

President Rodrigo 'The Punisher' Duterte has a controversial, deadly take on stamping out drug crimes in the Philippines.

Philippine's President Rodrigo Duterte. Picture: AFP Photo/Noel Celis

LAUNCHED a year ago, Philippine President Rodrigo Dutertes brutal war on drugs has resulted in thousands of deaths, yet the street price of crystal methamphetamine in Manila has fallen and surveys show Filipinos are as anxious as ever about crime.

Duterte took power on June 30 last year, vowing to halt the drug abuse and lawlessness he saw as symptoms of virulent social disease.

Thanks to his campaign, government officials say, crime has dropped, thousands of drug dealers are behind bars, a million users have registered for treatment, and future generations of Filipinos are being protected from the scourge of drugs.

There are thousands of people who are being killed, yes, said Oscar Albayalde, Metro Manilas police chief told Reuters. But there are millions who live, see?

A growing chorus of critics, however, including human rights activists, lawyers and the countrys influential Catholic Church, dispute the authorities claims of success.

They say police have summarily executed drug suspects with impunity, terrorising poorer communities and exacerbating the very lawlessness they were meant to tackle.

This president behaves as if he is above the law that he is the law, wrote Amado Picardal, an outspoken Filipino priest, in a recent article for a Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines publication. He has ignored the rule of law and human rights.

The drug wars exact death toll is hotly disputed, with critics saying the toll is far above the 5,000 that police have identified as either drug-related killings, or suspects shot dead during police operations.

Most victims are small-time users and dealers, while the masterminds behind the lucrative drug trade are largely unknown and at large, say critics of Dutertes ruthless methods.

If the strategy was working the laws of economics suggest the price of crystal meth, the highly addictive drug also known as shabu, should be rising as less supply hits the streets.

But the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agencys own data suggests shabu has become even cheaper in Manila.

Drug suspects are rounded up during an anti-illegal drugs operation at an informal settlers community at the Manila Islamic Center in Manila on October 7, 2016. Picture: AFP Photo/Noel CelisSource:AFP

Shanty dwellers living inside the cemetery look at bodies being buried on January 24, 2017 in Manila, Philippines. Many bodies of victims of extrajudicial killings lay unclaimed in a morgue as funerals have had to deal with an upsurge in fatalities from the drug war. Picture: Getty Images/Dondi TawataoSource:Getty Images

In July 2016, a gram of shabu cost 1,200-11,000 pesos (A$88-$800), according to agencys figures. Last month, a gram cost 1,000-15,000 pesos ($73-$1100), it said.

The wide ranges reflect swings in availability and sharp regional variations. Officials say Manilas street prices are at the lowest end of the range. And that has come down, albeit by just a few dollars.

If prices have fallen, its an indication that enforcement actions have not been effective, said Gloria Lai of the International Drug Policy Consortium, a global network of non-governmental groups focused on narcotics.

The problem is, according to Derrick Carreon, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agencys spokesman, that while nine domestic drug labs have been busted, shabu smuggled in from overseas has filled the market gap.

Demand needs to be addressed because there are still drug smugglers, Carreon said.

While smuggled shabu has kept the price down in the capital, the official data shows the price has gone up in the already substantially more expensive far-flung regions, like the insurgency-racked southern island of Mindanao.

Duterte declared martial law in Mindanao last month after militants inspired by Islamic State stormed Marawi City, and the armys failure to retake the city quickly has dented the presidents image as a law-and-order president.

A woman hugs her husband, next to a placard which reads, I'm a pusher, who was shot dead by an unidentified gunman in Manila on July 23, 2016. Picture: AFP Photo/Noel CelisSource:AFP

An alleged drug dealer and victim of a summary execution lies dead on a main thoroughfare on July 23, 2016 in Manila, Philippines. The victim was an alleged drug peddler, a claim disputed by his wife. Picture: Getty Images/Dondi TawataoSource:Getty Images

AFRAID OF THE DARK

Surveys by Social Weather Stations (SWS), a leading Manila pollster, reveal a public broadly supportive of Dutertes anti-drug campaign, but troubled by its methods and dubious about its effectiveness.

SWS surveys in each of the first three quarters of Dutertes rule showed a very high satisfaction with the anti-drug campaign, said Leo Laroza, a senior SWS researcher.

In the most recent survey, published on April, 92 per cent said it was important that drug suspects be captured alive.

Respondents also reported a 6.3 per cent rise in street robberies and break-ins. More than half of those polled said they were afraid to venture out at night, a proportion that had barely changed since the drug war began, said Laroza.

People still have this fear when it comes to their neighbourhoods, he said. It has not gone down.

Public and police perceptions of crime levels seem to diverge.

The number of crimes committed in the first nine months of Dutertes rule has dropped by 30 per cent, according to police statistics cited by the presidents communications team.

Albayalde, the capitals police chief, said people, particularly in Manila, felt safer now, especially due to a crackdown on drug users who he said commit most of the crime.

In the first 11 months of Dutertes rule, police say 3,155 suspects were shot dead in anti-drug operations. Critics maintain that many of them were summarily executed.

Police say they have investigated a further 2,000 drug-related killings, and have yet to identify a motive in at least another 7,000 murders and homicides.

Human rights monitors believe many of these victims were killed by undercover police or their paid vigilantes, a charge the police deny.

For residents of Navotas fishport, a warren of shacks near Manilas docks, the body count is too high. There were nine killings in a single night in Navotas earlier this month, according to local media.

In mid-May, said resident Mary Joy Royo, a dozen gunmen arrived on motorbikes and abducted her mother and stepfather. Their corpses were found later with execution-style gunshots to the head and torso.

They should be targeting the drug lords, Royo told Reuters. The victims of the drug war are the poor people.

The dead body of Valien Mendoza, a suspected drug dealer, gunned down by unidentified assailants in Manila. Picture: AFP Photo/Noel CelisSource:AFP

Maria Espinosa crying outside the funeral parlour where the body of her dead 16-year-old son, Sonny Espinosa, was taken in Manila. Picture: AFP Photo/Noel CelisSource:AFP

RIPPLE EFFECT

As the death toll has risen, so has domestic and international outrage.

In October, the Hague-based International Criminal Court said it could investigate the killings if they were committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack against a civilian population.

Police operations were halted for much of February after it emerged that anti-drug police abducted and killed a South Korean businessman last year, but the outcry over the rising body count has rarely slowed the killing or led to prosecutions.

The Philippine Commission on Human Rights is investigating 680 drug-war killings.

In this country the basic problem is impunity, Chito Gascon, the commissions chairman, said. No one is ever held to account for the worst violations. Ever.

Police chief Albayalde says that the forces Internal Affairs Service (IAS) investigates all allegations of abuse by his officers.

We do not tolerate senseless killings, he said. We do not just kill anybody.

IAS told Reuters it had investigated 1,912 drug-related cases and recommended 159 officers for dismissal due to misconduct during anti-drug operations, although it didnt know whether any had yet been dismissed.

Earlier this month, 19 police officers charged with murdering two drug suspects in their jail cell in November were released on bail and now face trial for the lesser crime of homicide.

Duterte, who has repeatedly urged police to kill drug suspects, had already vowed to pardon the officers if they were convicted.

You have a head of state who says, Kill, kill, kill, a head of state who says, Ive got your back, said CHRs Gascon. That has a ripple effect.

Marawi, on the southern island of Mindanao,has become the latest victim of Islamic State linked attacks beyond the Middle East. Since declaring martial law on the city, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has apologised for the military offensive that has left Marawi in ruins.

One year on: Has the Punisher fixed the crime? - NEWS.com.au

War on drugs is an abject failure – Columbia Daily Tribune

Posted on June 26, 2017 by Danzig

By Renee Hoagenson

Hello, my name is Renee Hoagenson, candidate for the office of United States House of Representatives in the November 2018 elections.

On June 15 my campaign held a town hall in Columbia, during which many questions were asked covering a variety of subjects. There were several questions regarding the addiction epidemic and the related subject of incarceration.

In the Friday Tribune article covering this event, I am quoted as saying that my personal opinion is that most drugs should be legal so that addiction could be addressed in the open. This quote is presented as my platform in my bid for Congress. My opponents reply indicated that I advocate the use of drugs by children in schools.

First, let me be clear that no child should ever be given any recreational drugs or alcohol. This insinuation by Vicky Hartzlers office is false and opportunistic. This sort of rhetoric is damaging to the public discussion and stands in the path of making meaningful progress in combatting addiction in our country.

So what is the nature of this problem and what can be done?

Addiction is a chronic brain disorder. It is a health issue. Much research has been conducted on this issue shedding light on the physiological processes that happen in an addicts body and brain. We know, for instance, that 95 percent of addiction begins during adolescence. Some people are more vulnerable to addiction due to predispositions that include genetics, emotional trauma and mental illness.

We also know that there is treatment available that is effective in restoring an alcoholic or addicts mental health. Sometimes this treatment is effective the first time, sometimes it requires a cumulative approach. It usually requires an ongoing recovery practice to achieve and maintain a drug-free, healthy life.

Its easy to misunderstand the addicts plight as a weakness of character or a moral failing. Loved ones often are perplexed as to why the addict shows tremendous willpower regarding every area but this. Its confusing to think that the addict chooses to ruin his life with excessive alcohol or drug use.

Indeed, the addict feels alone and misjudged, unable to find the words to adequately explain the feeling of compulsion. This is compounded by the fear of being incarcerated should they seek help. So the addict suffers silently (or not so silently) in shame and stigma trying to manage the itinerant fallout of his behavior.

According to the Department of Justice, one third of drug offenders in prison had no prior criminal history. More than 40 percent will return within two years on another drug-related incident. We are imprisoning sick people, further desecrating their lives when we could be helping them at far less cost.

In Facing Addiction in America, the Surgeon General reports that we save $10-$12 in incarceration costs for every dollar we spend in treatment. Think about that, if we took 10 percent of the budget we currently spend to incarcerate drug offenders and instead spent it on treatment, we would have fewer active drug addicts. Treatment rehabilitates people, restoring them to the community and their families. The penal system costs 90 percent more and helps no one.

Not only is treatment more effective for addiction, it is less expensive to society overall. The National Institute of Health reports that drug addiction treatment reduces drug use and its associated health and social costs including reducing drug-related crime, justice system costs and healthcare. Add in the related financial and emotional costs to the family. Also, consider the incalculable costs of bringing an effective worker back into the community and their family.

Addiction touches at least one in three adults in someway, occurring in at least one in ten people. When adults struggle for emotional balance it is impossible to be an effective role model for their children, perpetuating this heartbreaking cycle.

We have tried the War on Drugs for the last 40 years. It doesnt work; its a failed campaign. Addiction rates and drug-related death rates continue to increase. Its time to look at the addiction epidemic in our country from a different perspective.

Renee Hoagenson is a candidate for the Fourth Congressional District seat.

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War on drugs is an abject failure - Columbia Daily Tribune

China tries Crown Resorts employees on gambling charges – Fox News

Posted on June 26, 2017 by Danzig

SHANGHAI Australian and Chinese employees of a casino company on Monday pleaded guilty to charges relating to gambling and the three Australians were sentenced to nine or 10 months' imprisonment, an Australian official said.

The 19 defendants, including three Australians from the sales and marketing team of Australia's Crown Resorts Ltd., appeared at a court in Shanghai. Casino gambling, the marketing of casinos and organizing overseas gambling trips involving 10 or more people are illegal in China.

"The three Australians and the other defendants pleaded guilty," the Australian Consul General in Shanghai, Graeme Meehan, said outside the Baoshan District People's Court.

Jason O'Connor, the head of Crown Resorts international VIP programs was sentenced to 10 months in prison, and Australian-Chinese dual nationals Jerry Xuan and Jenny Pan received sentences of nine months' imprisonment, Meehan said.

Their sentences start from the date they were detained, which was Oct. 14, he added.

At least half of the 19 had been on bail awaiting trial, according to an officer from the court's propaganda office who only gave his surname, Li.

Crown's vice-president in China, Malaysian Alfread Gomez, was also among the defendants.

Casino gambling and the promoting of gambling are illegal in mainland China and agents are banned from organizing groups of more than 10 Chinese citizens to gamble abroad. According to Chinese law, anyone who "runs a gambling house or makes gambling his profession" can face up to three years in prison.

However, gambling is allowed in the Chinese enclave of Macau Asia's gambling center and Chinese are often coveted by foreign casinos.

The industry has been known to skirt China's ban by touting destination packages rather than gambling, particularly as Chinese President Xi Jinping's ongoing corruption crackdown has deterred some gamblers from Macau.

___

Watt reported from Beijing. AP researcher Fu Ting contributed to this report.

China tries Crown Resorts employees on gambling charges - Fox News

Center adds two gambling addiction counselors – Huntington Herald Dispatch

Posted on June 26, 2017 by Danzig

HUNTINGTON - In order to help more clients, the Huntington Comprehensive Treatment Center has added the expertise of two gambling addiction counselors to the resources that they offer.

Kayla Harless and Samantha Page recently completed the 30-hour training needed to join the treatment network, and are both in the process of obtaining their Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counseling certificates. Both counselors' goals are to help others and provide nonjudgmental support for them.

Harless, who hails from Cabell County, attended Marshall University and has been working at the Huntington Treatment Center since completing her master's degree in counseling. Page, a Huntington native, also attended Marshall University and has been working for the Huntington Treatment Center for four years.

The treatment center provides counseling and treatment for individuals with drug or alcohol addiction. However, Harless and Page will also screen clients for gambling addiction.

The reason for this crossover is due to the significant correlation between gambling and drug or alcohol addiction. Those who have one type of addiction are more likely to suffer from the other. A Kansas State University article mentions a study that found "44 percent of those with disordered gambling behavior also report a lifetime history of alcoholism."

"There is a high co-morbidity between gambling and addiction, because they both trigger the same area in your brain, where it releases the dopamine, and that affects the emotions and behaviors," Page said.

By placing gambling treatment counselors in the treatment center, those who have both types of addiction can be helped more effectively.

"Treatment techniques are very unique to this disorder because of the psychological factors involved in the compulsion to continue gambling," communications director Shelia Moran said. Therefore, the additional training Harless and Page received will allow them to better assist those with a gambling addiction.

The 1-800-GAMBLER helpline, which is run by the Problem Gamblers Help Network of West Virginia, has taken nearly 700 calls from Cabell County. Callers receive crisis intervention and an appointment with Harless, Page or another nearby counselor. In addition to group and individual counseling, the organization pays for continued treatment for those without insurance to cover it, can refer them to other programs, and does long-term follow-ups to track clients' progress. These follow-ups indicate that the majority of callers are able to stop gambling within six months of entering treatment. Harless said that gamblers typically recover more quickly than those with another type of addiction.

"We're a big support system," Harless said. "You don't just come to one person. You can come to everyone here; whereas in some places you only have the one person to rely on, you have the whole place here."

More information is available by calling 1-800-GAMBLER or visiting http://www.1800gambler.net. The Huntington Comprehensive Treatment Center can be reached by calling 844-818-1031 or by visiting http://www.swvirginiactc.com.

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Center adds two gambling addiction counselors - Huntington Herald Dispatch

Pa. lawmakers eye gambling revenue, borrowing to balance budget – Pocono Record

Posted on June 26, 2017 by Danzig

Nico Salvatori, Erie Times-News, Pa. (TNS)

Pennsylvania lawmakers have roughly a week to agree on a state budget for the 2017-18 fiscal year, which starts Saturday, and so far no consensus on how to do that is in sight.

That is not unusual for the Pennsylvania legislature, but this year lawmakers are grappling with the state's biggest cash shortfall since the 2008 recession.

House and Senate Republican majority leaders were expected to meet over the weekend for budget talks before the full legislature reconvenes Monday.

"We are scheduled to be in session all week and probably up until we have something in place," state Rep. Pat Harkins said recently. "I'm looking forward to a very busy and productive week."

Harkins, of Erie, D-1st Dist., said a slew of proposals are on the table to try to raise more than $2 billion in new revenue that would balance a proposed spending plan and close the deficit. They include expanding gambling in the state, cutting costs and borrowing against future state revenue.

The extent to which gambling should be expanded has already been a point of contention between the House and Senate. Video gambling in thousands of bars, truck stops and elsewhere passed the House earlier this month with bipartisan support, and House Republican leaders have brought it to budget negotiations.

But the Senate has not shown that it would support such a large gambling expansion. Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, a Republican from Centre County, on Wednesday said such a move could be bigger than Pennsylvania's 2004 legalization of up to 14 commercial casinos, and he was "a little nervous about the size and scope" of it.

Many Erie County lawmakers are concerned that legalizing video gaming terminals and regulating them could pull revenue away from brick-and-mortar licensed casinos, which provide a percentage of funds to the communities that host them every year.

"I know the House members that don't have casinos are pushing pretty hard for VGTs because they want some gaming money in their districts," said state Sen. Dan Laughlin, of Millcreek Township, R-49th Dist. "That's going to be part of this conversation."

Gov. Tom Wolf, whose own budget proposal relies on $250 million of new gaming revenue, voiced concerns in recent days about the effect VGTs could have not only on licensed casinos, but on the Pennsylvania Lottery as well.

"I want real revenue, and I want net revenue," Wolf said. "I don't want anything that we do in gaming or gambling to interfere with the revenues that are already in place. If it just cannibalizes and takes from one bucket called gambling to another, the commonwealth isn't doing anything more than it has in the past."

Another option under consideration would borrow from Pennsylvania's annual share of the 1998 multistate settlement with major tobacco companies. The idea has traction among Senate Republicans and would largely fund a $31.5 billion House Republican spending plan.

State Rep. Ryan Bizzarro, of Millcreek, D-3rd Dist., said the idea comes with too many risks.

"We cannot continue to rely on tobacco to fill our deficits," Bizzarro said, referring to a hike in the state's cigarette tax enacted last year as part of the 2016-17 budget.

As opposed to borrowing, Wolf would prefer proposals he outlined in his February budget address, which called for imposing a tax on Marcellus Shale natural gas production, closing corporate loopholes and charging municipalities for state police coverage.

"That's what I'm looking for, something that is recurring revenue, not another one-time fix, not another thing that just kicks the budget problem, the deficit problem down the road for another year or two," Wolf said.

Lawmakers are bracing for a busy week in the state Capitol.

"We are hoping to get it done," Laughlin said. "It seems like everything is going to come down to the last minute."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Nico Salvatori can be reached at 870-1714 or by email. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ETNsalvatori.

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Pa. lawmakers eye gambling revenue, borrowing to balance budget - Pocono Record

Grants from gambling funds given – Centerville Daily Iowegian

Posted on June 26, 2017 by Danzig

The Appanoose County Community Fund awarded 29 applicants from around the county in May. A total of $113,000 was given for projects inside the county.

The organization receives funds from state gambling revenues each year. The structure was developed in 2004 by the Iowa Legislature to spread gambling funds to counties in Iowa, whether they have a casino or not. The Appanoose County Community Fund was set up in 2005.

Over the last decade, funds have went to various causes. From updating the the 4-H stand at the Appanoose County Fairgrounds to buying new helmets for Moravia firefighters.

The following local organizations received funding this year:

Appanoose County Baseball

Appanoose County Girls Softball

Appanoose County Historical Society

Appanoose Family Alliance

Boy Scout Troup 33

Camp Appanoose

Centerville Band Boosters

Centerville Garden Club

Cincinnati Fire Department

Eagles Club

Friends of Appanoose County Historical Society

Friends of Oakland Cemetery

Garrett Memorial Library

Grow Centerville & Centerville Main Street

Historic Preservation Corp

Indian Hills Community College

Kid's World

Moravia Betterment

Moravia Community Schools

Moravia Historical Society

Moulton Historical Museum

Moulton Pulliam Park

Moulton Udell A Club

Mystic Community Center

Mystic Fire Department

New Hope Ministry

Rathbun City Park

Rathbun Lake YMCA

Walldog Public Art

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Grants from gambling funds given - Centerville Daily Iowegian

Kenya Ups Its Gambling Tax Rate as Online Betting Booms Across Africa – Casino.Org News

Posted on June 26, 2017 by Danzig

News Gaming Business Kenya Ups Its Gambling Tax Rate as Online Betting Booms Across Africa

In an attempt to corral the growth of an industry that has in recent years taken a country by storm, Kenya has imposed a major tax hike on betting companies.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta approved a huge increase to gambling taxes this week, hoping to slow the growth of what politicians believe is an undertaxed online gambling boom. (Image: HapaKenya)

On Wednesday, PresidentUhuru Kenyatta signed a finance bill into law that will levy a 35 percent tax rate on all gambling revenue for bookmakers, casinos, lotteries, and any other business involved in wagers. (Thats in addition to a 30 percent corporate income tax that all companies pay in Kenya.)

The potentially prohibitive tax increase will apply to all forms of gambling, including online gambling, whichaccounts for most of the gambling currently taking place in Kenya. Previously Kenya taxed bookmakers at 7.5 percent, casino gambling at 12 percent, raffles and competitions at 15 percent, and lotteries at 5 percent.

Supporters of the tax and members of President Uhurus Jubilee party said it was time to contain the growth of gambling that is being facilitated by technology but otherwise is going unchecked.

We were very concerned about betting among school-goers so we made it difficult for people to bet, President Uhuru said during an online town hall in April. We want people who bet to have their money go to constructive projects through tax.

Kenyas Treasury Secretary Henry Rotich believes the rapid growth of online gamblinghas been driven by the proliferation of smartphones and improved mobile internet speeds, and creates a danger to the young and vulnerable. Therefore he wants to stunt the industry.

Kenya is currently the third-largest gambling market in Africa, behind South Africa and Nigeria. Online sports betting in particular has thrived in the past few years, in cyber cafes and via mobile phones.

According to recent analysis, the second-most visited website in Kenya is SportsPesa, which happens to be the countrys most popular sports betting platform. The only website that gets more traffic in Kenya is Google.

(SportsPesa is fixed on global expansion and recently made inroads into the UK by becoming a shirt sponsor for Premier League soccer team Everton. )

Currently licensed operators in Kenya have balked that the new tax is unworkable, saying it will drive them out of the market while deterring international operators from setting up shop in Kenya.

I know there is a big cry in the gaming industry because of the 50 percent tax,Uhuru had said during the April town hall, but we can sit down and engage with the affected parties.

But Uhuru would find that lowering the tax to 35 percent did not appease detractors of the new rate.

Wanja Gikonyo, head ofBetways Kenya division, told the local Star newspaper that the impact of this tax increase will stretch beyond current gaming providers and will discourage investors from considering Kenya, shifting their focus instead to countries such as Uganda, Ghana, and Zambia, which offer less punitive taxation.

From a regional point of view, if as a country we end up being the highest taxed it would affect potential investors coming in, Gikonyo said. If they look at the environment vis-a-vis countries next to us, they might go there because (they have) a more favorable tax environment.

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ACT’s euthanasia bill ‘dangerous’ – professor – Radio New Zealand

Posted on June 26, 2017 by Danzig

A Welsh professor of palliative medicine and cross-bench member of the House of Lords has arrived in New Zealand to challenge David Seymour's End of Life Choice Bill.

Ilora Finlay says that the End of Life Choice Bill is dangerous because it isn't at all restrictive. Photo: RBZ

The ACT leader's euthanasia bill was pulled from the members' ballot earlier this month to go before Parliament.

The End of Life Choice Bill would allow for assisted dying in cases where people are terminally ill but still mentally sound.

Ilora Finlay said that going by what had happened in Oregon and Belgium, the legalisation of assisted suicide in New Zealand would lead to 120 cases a year, while legalising euthanasia would lead to around 1200.

Baroness Finlay said Mr Seymour's bill was dangerous.

"It isn't restrictive at all, it also goes beyond physician-assisted suicide and it goes to euthanasia, but you do fundamentally change the relationship between the doctor and the patient when you go down that road."

Ilora Finlay will take part in a public panel discussion at Parliament on Wednesday.

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ACT's euthanasia bill 'dangerous' - professor - Radio New Zealand

Morning Buzz: Sydney news, traffic and weather for Monday, June 26 – Blue Mountains Gazette

Posted on June 26, 2017 by Danzig

26 Jun 2017, 7:08 a.m.

Your morning wrap of news, sport, and weather around Sydney.

Goodmorning and welcome to the Morning Buzz for Monday, June 26. Its set to be sunny today,withexpected highs of about 18degrees.Enjoy your day!

Dr Anne Jaumees, an anaesthetist based in western Sydney. A poll of doctors and nurses into what they think about euthanasia has just been conducted. Photo: Dominic Lorrimer

Most NSW doctors and nurses support a controversial medical euthanasia bill headed for Parliament, according to research that could prompt new debateabout the medical fraternity's willingness to accept changes to assisted suicide laws.

A bill, to allow patients to apply for medically assisted euthanasia in specific circumstances when older than 25 (an age when informed consent is deemed reached), will be introduced to the NSW upper house in August for a conscience vote.Read more.

ATO scandal claims first scalp as controversial lawyer Sevag Chalabian quits the profession

Sevag Chalabian has quietly quit the legal profession. Photo: Daniel Munoz

Controversial lawyer Sevag Chalabian, who has been accused of involvement in a blackmail which resulted in $24 million going into his trust account, has quietly quit the legal profession.

Mr Chalabian, 47, was named in recent court documents in connection with what is alleged to be the nation's largest tax fraud. Read more,

A man has been charged with a number of offencesfollowing an eight-hour standoff with policein Newtown on Sunday.

A 38-year-old man allegedly broke into a house on Church Street before climbing from a second-storey balcony on to the roof at around 9.15am.According to police, he then started throwingbricks andtiles at police, pedestrians and cars below. Read more.

Kaufland is believed to need at least 15 to 20 stores to make its Australian investment viable . Photo: Supplied

German discount department store Kauflandhas demonstrated its commitment to expanding in Australia by inking deals to buy land.

Kaufland is part of the Schwarz Group, one of the world's largest retailers, which also owns discount supermarket Lidl. Read more.

Witnesses saw the woman dragged into a car, which has been captured on CCTV. Photo: NSW Police

Police are appealing for people to come forward after a woman was allegedly dragged into a car on Saturday morning.

Witnesses have told police they saw thewoman being dragged by a male into a white Holden Rodeo ute that was stopped at an intersection in Blackett, in Sydney's west.Police were alerted by residents who heard the woman screaming for help and beeping a car horn. Read more.

Police have raised their first Facebook AMBER Alert to help locate missing girl Milena Malkic.

The first alert comesaday after the national roll-out of the system, which police describe asa vital toolto find and return abducted children.

Urgent information appears on a person's Facebook feed if they are within 160 kilometres of where the child goes missing or is suspected to be. Read more.

Group 4 boss Mick Schmiedel. Photo: Supplied

A plain-talking country rugby league boss has bemoaned the dramatic drop in junior league players graduating to the senior ranks and has laid the blame on "lazy" parents and "soft" children.

With the Group 4 rugby league competition in northern NSW in danger of becoming a wasteland in the under-16 and under-18 ranks, president Mick Schmiedel, a former long-standing player who is a veteran administrator and coach, said parents needed to get "off the couch" and get their kids involved in league.

"I put the blame, and they won't like this, squarely at mums and dads," he said. Read more.

Tough going: Sharks prop Andrew Fifita made little impact against the dominant Manly pack. Picture: Chris Lane

It was billed as one of the games of the round. Two bitter arch rivals in front ofa packed house for Sunday afternoon footy in the shire.

Unfortunately, the clash between the high-flying Sea Eagles andthe reigning premiers was almost over before it began.

Manly ran in three tries in the opening quarter to blow Cronulla away at Southern Cross Group Stadium on Sunday, with the Sea Eagles eventually running out deserved 35-18 winners. Read more.

What a comeback: St George Illawarra came from 18 points down at half-time to beat Newcastle at Kogarah on Sunday. Picture: Chris Lane

St George Illawarra produced 22 unanswered second half points as they launcheda stunning comeback to score a 32-28 win over Newcastle.

The Dragons were booed off at half-time trailing 28-10 to the second-last placed Knights at UOW Jubilee Oval, Kogarah on Sunday.

But St George Illawarra produced their second best comeback in club history to snap a two-game losing run and strengthen their place in the top eight. Read more.

Jarrad McVeigh is a chance to return for the Swans match against Melbourne on Friday night. Photo: Steve Christo

Former captain Jarrad McVeighis pressing hard for a senior recall with the resurgent Sydney facing several big selection calls as it pushes for a remarkable finals berth.

And youngster Isaac Heeney has a blunt warning for the Swans' next opponent, Melbourne: bring it on.

Rocked by injuries to their senior ranks early in the season, the Swansare closing in on a clean bill of health heading into Friday night's vital clash with the in-form Demons at the MCG. Read more.

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Morning Buzz: Sydney news, traffic and weather for Monday, June 26 - Blue Mountains Gazette

Euthanasia by text? Michelle Carter case impacts more than just free speech – The Sydney Morning Herald

Posted on June 26, 2017 by Danzig

In 2014, Michelle Carter, then 17, used text messages to "encourage" her 18-year-old boyfriend Conrad Roy III to kill himself. Roy was found dead from carbon monoxide poisoning in his truck.

While the dust is still settling from this month's decision by a Massachusetts judge to convict the young "suicide texter" of involuntary manslaughter, the reaction on social media has been swift and savage.

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A Massachusetts judge finds Michelle Carter guilty of urging her boyfriend's death with text messages.

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Irish forecaster with a giant umbrella is blown away by a gust of wind and everyone can't stop laughing about it.

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A forest fire in southern Spain has forced the evacuation of 1000 people and is threatening a national park famous for its biodiversity.

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A boat carrying more than 150 people has sunk on a reservoir near the city of Medellin in north-west Colombia.

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The Australian government is offering support to the Philippines as its military battles Islamist militants aligned with Islamic State. National Security correspondent David Wroe explains.

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RAW VISION: Teen dangles from a stopped gondola ride at a New York amusement park, tumbling into a crowd gathered more than seven metres below to catch her.

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In a bid to limit any further jail time, Crown Resorts staff will plead guilty to gambling-related crimes at their trial in Shanghai on Monday.

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An overturned oil tanker exploded on Sunday in Pakistan, killing 148 people when spilt fuel from the stricken vehicle ignited.

A Massachusetts judge finds Michelle Carter guilty of urging her boyfriend's death with text messages.

On my own Facebook page, within hours of the verdict, I received nothing short of 100 irate responses to a hitherto gentle post I made casting doubt on Carter's legal, if not moral, blame for Roy's suicide.

I pondered if this was fair reason to use the very serious crime of manslaughter to teach young people a lesson in online behaviour? Clearly, Judge Lawrence Moniz thinks it is just the remedy, and in the virtual world of the internet he has many friends.

I'm not alone in worrying that the guilty decision in this judge-only criminal trial will have unintended consequences. For almost everyone involved in the debate over assisted suicide as a human right, we are all now much more concerned, and with good reason.

Mathew Segal of the Massachusetts Civil Liberties Union saysthe conviction of Carter exceeds the limits of US criminal laws and violates the free speech protections contained in the constitution at a state and federal level.

Segalnotes that, for those having or likely to have "end-of-life discussions" with their loved ones -and let's face it, that will be many of us -Carter's conviction strikes a very real chill.

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New York attorney Ari Diaconistakes the debate one step further, arguing that Judge Moniz has conflated "morality and legality" and it is this that makes life post-Carter a different ball game altogether.

On the facts, Roy killed himself.He was not with Carter. She did not help him prepare for his death. What she did do was text him, not once, but often. Was Carter a good person on the night of Roy's death? Clearly not. Carter's text urging Roy to go through with his death - "I f---ingtold him to get back in [the truck]" - is not how a good girlfriend, a caring friend, would behave. But does this make her a criminal?

Just as suicide is lawful in Australia, being a bad person is not necessarily unlawful. Diaconis is correct. It is important not to conflate the law with morality, yet that is exactly what Judge Moniz has done. The challenge of keeping subjectivity out of the Carter case was something the court was acutely aware of from the get go.

In allowing the case to go to trial, the Massachusetts Judicial Court tried hard to create a narrow framework for argument. The case was not, it said"about a person ameliorating the anguish of someone confronting terminal illness and questioning the value of life".

Nor was it "about offering support, comfort, and even assistance to a mature adult who, confronted with such circumstances, has decided to end his or her life". By process of elimination, the court tried to delineate "good" suicide assistance from the reckless, misdirected and dangerous advice offered by Carter.

However, from a legal point of view, like it or not, Carter's guilty verdict has created a climate where any response to talk by a person considering ending their life is now problematic.

This is especially as Carter had earlier tried to convince her boyfriend to get help for his suicidal thoughts. She had supported him in choosing life. Her later support for Roy's suicide was certainly the result of misguided youth. But should her morally bad-person behaviour (what some might call misguided foolish youthfulness) make her a criminal? I don't think so. It is this apparent sureness of intent on the part of the Massachusetts Judicial Court that makes Carter's business our business, even here in Australia.

For instance, can a doctor (or close friend or loved one) talk to a terminally ill patient (or friend) if that mentally capable person has made the decision to end their life? Dare they agree in writing -say via a WhatsApp message -with the loved one's decision?

The legal answer is now 50 shades of grey darker.

Ironically, the assisted suicide movement's very existence depends on our ability to speak openly to people considering dying with dignity.

While the 80-year-olds whom I deal with on a daily basis are far from the troubled teen who was Roy, our chats occuron the phone, on email and in our online discussion forums. I have always gone out of my way to neither encourage nor discourage a terminally ill person, or an elderly person, who seeks my "counsel" to take one course of action over another. What I have done for the past 20 years is provide a safe and understanding space for the communication to take place.

Tricky questions abound daily. Should I be worried about what I say in response or what medium I choose? Open discussion is an essential part of the decision-making process that can surround dying. A healthy society must insist that it should not be shut down.

Dr Philip Nitschke is the director of Exit International.

Support is available for those who may be distressed by phoning Lifeline 13 11 14;Mensline1300 789 978; Kids Helpline 1800 551 800;beyondblue1300 224 636.

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