Daily Archives: April 30, 2017

Space-mining may be only a decade away – Pocono Record

Posted: April 30, 2017 at 10:22 pm

By Thomas Heath, The Washington Post

Is water the new oil of space?

It may be to Middle Eastern oil states such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, who are looking at space as a way to diversify out of the earthly benefits of fossil fuel.

"Middle East oil states are investing in satellite technology and trying to transform their domestic economies into digital economies and knowledge-based economies," said Tom James of Navitas Resources, an energy consultant based in London and Singapore.

As space colonizers such as Elon Musk and Jeffrey P. Bezos (owner of The Washington Post) aspire to shrink the cost of space travel, interest has picked up among oil states and others in how to power space settlements using water and minerals mined from the heavens.

Oil states are investing in companies and infrastructure that could one day mine minerals and water found on the moon and in asteroids.

"They are investing in it in order to attract business to the Middle East," James said. Oil states have large, empty spaces, relatively small populations and are located near the equator. The UAE has launched a multipronged effort to establish a space industry in which it has invested more than $5 billion, and that includes four satellites already in space and another due to launch in 2018.

"The Middle East is ideal for launching rockets and spaceships," James said. "It's the long-term solution. Oil and gas may not run forever. So they are looking to invest and be part of the new, future economy."

The water is critical. It can be turned into hydrogen to fuel the spaceship, oxygen for breathing or left untouched for drinking and everyday use. Requiring only a four-day trip and containing lots of ice, the moon is a prime candidate for resource extraction.

The interest in space mining and industrialization has picked up in recent years as Musk, Bezos and others push outward. Part of the key to unlocking affordable space travel and space industrialization is finding extraterrestrial materials such as water and minerals that do not have to be rocketed up from Earth.

Goldman Sachs wrote a recent research note explaining that "space mining could be more realistic than perceived." The bank in the same report said the storage of water as a fuel could be a "game changer" by creating orbital gas stations.

Most of the minerals will remain for use in space. Some rare, highly valuable commodities could be brought back to Earth. Goldman Sachs, for instance, was quoted in a 2012 interview with Planetary Resources that estimated that a football field-size asteroid could contain up to $50 billion worth of platinum.

"Asteroid mining could very quickly supply an emerging on-orbit manufacturing economy with nearly all the raw materials needed," according to the Goldman Sachs report.

The possibilities are beginning to register with the business sector.

"Within the next five years," James said, "mining and energy companies will start thinking about space mining before the shareholders start asking, 'What is your strategy?' and they answer, 'Oh, we don't have one.' "

The technology already exists. NASA launched a billion-dollar mission in September to vacuum materials from an 2,000-foot-wide asteroid called Bennu. The spacecraft is scheduled to sidle up to the asteroid in 2018, extend its arm and pull in its cargo. The ship will return to Earth a couple of years later.

But it is unclear whether mining on a wider scale is a real business, said Paul Chodas, an astronomer and asteroid expert with NASA.

The technology is there, but it's not simple. Asteroids travel through space at tens of thousands of miles per hour. Tracking asteroids and determining their composition is difficult.

"It's hard to determine which ones will have the most valuable minerals," Chodas said. He said it is doable, but "the question is cost-benefit. Is it worth the cost? We don't know yet. There is simply more work to be done to determine whether space mining is profitable. But it's promising."

Chris Lewicki is chief executive of Planetary Resources, a Seattle-area company studying asteroids to find one that is an appropriate candidate for mining.

Lewicki said the mining industry is a natural to make the first move when it comes to recovering space minerals because of its earthbound expertise. He foresees a small, robotic mining operation drilling for water on an asteroid in as soon as about 10 years.

"This is how [the mining industry] continues," Lewicki said. Mining asteroids "isn't a space project. It's a resource project. In the same way having minerals and materials are very important for our economy, space becomes a new medium for furthering that economy."

The regulatory phase got a major boost in 2015, when President Barack Obama signed legislation recognizing asteroid resource property rights.

The law recognizes the right of U.S. citizens to own asteroid resources and encourages the commercial exploration and utilization of resources from asteroids.

In addition to the UAE's space industry, Bloomberg News reports that the Saudis signed a pact with Russia in 2015 for cooperation on space exploration. Abu Dhabi is an investor in Richard Branson's space tourism venture, Virgin Galactic.

Several private companies, including Deep Space Industries, Planetary Resources and Shackleton Energy, are trying to crack the mining potential.

"If you have any significant human activity in space, then you are going to need resources," said Peter Stibrany, chief strategist and business developer for Deep Space Industries. "It will get too difficult to launch everything from the ground."

Deep Space Industries is four years old and living off seed money from investors and founders. Stibrany said the company is in the technology development stage and working to create delivery systems for lower orbit launches.

He said mining space resources faces what he calls a "four-dimensional problem."

The first two are technological and regulatory, which are being addressed.

"While the psychological barrier to mining asteroids is high, the actual financial and technological barriers are far lower," according to the Goldman Sachs report. "Prospecting probes can likely be built for tens of millions of dollars each, and Caltech has suggested an asteroid-grabbing spacecraft could cost $2.6 billion."

James pointed to "nano-sats," small satellites priced relatively inexpensively at $2 million each, far less than the hundreds of millions needed to place current satellites in orbit.

The third concern is the lack of a current market in asteroid resources. That should resolve itself when the space population hits critical mass, demanding infrastructure.

Then a business will follow if investors see that a reasonable return is likely over a reasonable amount of time with appropriate risks. That is the fourth hurdle.

"The end game," Stibrany said, "is that if you have 1,000 or 10,000 people living and working in space, there is no practical way that is going to work without using in-space resources."

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Automation is killing the job market but don’t be worried – New York Post

Posted: at 10:21 pm

If youre just about to start on your working life, you might be advised to stay away from such hands-on occupations as welder, floor assembler or boilermaker.

These three occupations are prime candidates for automation and make for the worst three entry-level jobs, according to a study released last week by personal finance Web site WalletHub.

Engineers, systems engineers and architects, on the other hand, represent good starting opportunities, according to the study.

Judged strictly by paycheck, tax attorneys made out the best, with a median starting salary of $93,899, or 5.8 times that of the lowest-paying job, that of college teaching assistant.

In coming up with their rankings for 109 entry-level jobs, the researchers weighed immediate opportunity, job hazards and occupational viability, or the probability of a certain occupation being replaced with a computer, says WalletHub senior analyst Jill Gonzalez.

The bottom five, according to this logic, are: tool and die maker, plumber, boilermaker, floor assembler and welder. The top five jobs engineer, systems engineer, architect, Web applications developer all by contrast require advanced education in science, technology, engineering and math.

The dismal rankings attained by many traditional blue-collar jobs, Gonzalez says, are largely the result of their having the highest probabilities of being automated. A lot of these jobs started to disappear decades ago.

Gonzalez also contrasts the high starting salaries garnered by tax attorneys with the more dismal prospects for tax accountants, who are being taken over by commercial software such as H&R Block.

If it is doing the same thing over and over again, and it doesnt require analysis, its going to be automated, says Ed Hess, professor of business administration at the University of Virginias Darden Graduate School of Business.

Were on the leading edge of a technology tsunami, he adds, predicting that 60 to 80 million U.S. jobs will be lost to automation over the next five to 15 years, destroyed by artificial intelligence, the internet of things and other technological developments. The question is, is this automation going to produce enough new jobs that technology itself cant do?

Hess advises those launching careers to pursue occupations that wont go away any time soon. Train to repair smart robots, train for a service job where you have to emotionally engage one-on-one to meet peoples individual needs, or get into a technology job and upgrade your skills every year, he suggests.

On the other hand, there are at least some manual skills that will continue to be in demand for the foreseeable future. The plumber or electrician that crawls under your house to see what the problem is is probably going to be all right, he says.

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How will automation affect the retail industry? – KBZK.com … – KBZK Bozeman News

Posted: at 10:21 pm

"CBS This Morning" is launching a new partnership this morning with LinkedIn called "Work in Progress."

Technology available today could automate 45 percent of the jobs people are paid to perform across all occupations. By the early 2030's, 38 percent of current jobs in the U.S. could be automated and one industry could be hit particularly hard.

Since at least the industrial revolution, Americans have worried abouttechnology taking their jobs. Past inventions have ended up creating new jobs, not just destroying old ones, but economists worry that this time may be different, reports Tony Dokoupil.

In Maplewood, New Jersey, Tim Jianni works the register of his family-owned convenience store just as he has since high school.

"Here, we know all of our customers by name and I have papers or candies, I know what they get. I put it right there so that it is ready for them, and it makes them feel good," Jianni said. "I just, you could see when they come in they have that smile on their face."

One day, Jianni hopes to pass the job to a new generation, keeping it in the family or at least keeping it human.

Other retailers have a very different dream. For example, an autonomous, multilingual robot is designed to help customers at the home improvement chain, Lowe's, to get their shopping done as quickly as possible.

"You can talk to it and it talks back to you," said Kyle Nel, the executive director of Lowe's innovation labs.

"It's basically doing indoor mapping and figuring out where it is. Where you are," Nel explained. "It will actually help you find the thing you're looking for."

The machine is one of 22 that the company is proudly testing in Northern California. "Oh my gosh, there is an autonomous robot inside of a Lowe's, awesome," Nel said.

But what may look "awesome" for Lowe's and many of the nation's other businesses could spell anxiety for American workers.

For decades, automation has eaten up more American jobs than global trade, according to economists, who warn that the job losses may be poised to accelerate.

"I don't think we've begun to grapple what that would mean for the economy if these jobs start to really go away in vast numbers," said LinkedIn managing editor Chip Cutter.

Cutter, who has been studying automation, says cashiers and retail workers may be the hit hardest and comprise the single biggest job category in America.

When asked by Dokoupil whether these jobs could go away in the next two decades, Cutter responded, "That's the fear.'

At a Stop and Shop in Bayonne, New Jersey, customers can be their own cashiers - scanning, bagging and swiping their credit cards.

Customer Kelsey O'Donnell says she recommends scanners to others,

"This is a lot easier to get out the store a little quicker," O'Donnell said.

At an Amazon concept store in Seattle, sensors allow customers to shop, walk out and pay via a wireless account. "That's the technology that a lot of people say may more resemble the future that we are gonna see," Cutter said.

But many of the cashiers and retail workers of the world aren't buying it. They think the robot revolution is overblown.

"A robot is just, they are not going to give you that personal interaction," Jianni said. "That's what people want." Judy Rubashkin works down the street at Words bookstore.

"People still like to talk to somebody. I don't think you can replicate that," Rubashkin said.

While Nel is excited about the future of their robot -- or "Lowebot" -- he says the store has no plans to replace human workers. "Honestly and truly the robots are just a support system," Nel said.

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iTWire – Aussie accountants lead global counterparts in adapting to … – iTWire

Posted: at 10:21 pm

Accountants in Australia, and their global counterparts, are changing their attitudes towards automation in the profession as the benefits become clearer, signalling a new era for accounting practices, according to a newly released study.

The global study of 700 accountants, including 100 in Australia, by independent research company Viga for accounting software provider Sage, revealed that 98% of those surveyed in Australia were confident about the future of accountancy and their role in it, despite 86% seeing their role changing through automation in the future.

Jennifer Warawa, executive vice-president, product marketing, Sage, says the Australian results were largely in line with the global findings, although local accountants were more confident about the future of their profession and noticeably more ready to embrace new technologies than their global counterparts.

But Sage says that while optimistic about technology, a higher portion of Australian accountants also identified the potential threat of technology to replace aspects of their roles.

As artificial intelligence and bots become progressively more intuitive, the door opens further towards the future of invisible admin and gives them the space to spend their time on more valuable services for their clients.

The industry must come together to support this change and help eliminate any barriers or fears that can hold accountants back. The call to action is now with accountants and small business owners to embrace the change and decide how they will spend the time that automation will afford them.

Sage says other Australian findings of the survey included:

Cloud Adoption: With cloud now seen as table stakes in most organisations, cloud-based solutions among Australian accountants are proving popular.

68% say their firm invests in the best technology available, including cloud technology, to help offer the best services to their clients.

83% have adopted a cloud-based practice management solution.

Security is seen as the biggest barrier to adopting cloud technology (25%), while 14% say it is client concerns.

Admin & Automation: Many Australian accountants find admin tasks, such as time spent number-crunching, frustrating and can see great benefits in automation such as it is freeing their time to serve more clients and creating more services for their clients. However, some still worry about how technology will affect their role.

An overwhelming 94% agree that by automating data entry and reporting, they would be free to create services that add value for their clients.

Accountants are on the fence as to whether admin is enjoyable or a frustration with 36% saying its the most enjoyable part of their role while 45% say time spent number-crunching is their biggest frustration; regardless, they are in agreement that it takes up a lot of their time.

49% believe the biggest threat to the accountancy profession is new emerging technology that can do some of the jobs they currently do.

32% would take time off with the extra time they save with automation.

More than half (62%) say their biggest business frustration is chasing clients for financial information.

Future gazing optimism prevails: Despite fears and frustrations, accountants have an optimistic view of the future of their profession in Australia.

98% of those surveyed are confident about the future of accountancy and their role in it with 59% very confident & 39% moderately confident.

86% see their role changing through automation in the future.

50% believe it will change through automated admin.

36% see some of their work becoming automated but still applying that information under their control.

Over half of accountants surveyed (65%) see their roles becoming more strategic and being able to provide more financial and business advice to their customersWhen asked what the biggest threats to the accountancy profession are, 35% believe it to be self-service accounting solutions, with 17% saying it is customers not understanding the full benefit of working with an accountant.

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Workers & Immigrants Vigil – Hamilton College News

Posted: at 10:20 pm

This is the rainsite. If weather permits, vigil will be held outside Sadove.https://www.facebook.com/events/431126463904161

May 1st is a day for workers and immigrants. May Day has been important for the labor movement, from the national workers strike for the eight-hour day in 1886 onwards. A vigil is a silent protest to raise awareness, often done long into the night. What's the point of a silent protest during the day? Today is a day to put your money where your mouth is.

Don't shop. Don't bank. Don't go to work if you can. Amplify the voices of the hundred of thousands of workers and immigrants on strike. Instead of chanting, speak with your actions and your wallet.

Need another reason for a silent vigil? The words attributed to American labor activist August Spies, in the aftermath of the first May Day strike: "The day will come when our silence will be more powerful than the voices you are throttling today."

We stand with those fighting for a living wage. We stand with the undocumented immigrants who are the backbone of our economy. We stand against deportations. We stand for the would-be legal immigrants who came here for school or a job, who wait for years, who positively impact our society and economy, and who may be denied citizenship and torn away from their communities. We stand with sex workers. We stand with fast-food service workers. We stand with tipped employees. We stand with those working in unsafe environments, physically, mentally, and otherwise. We stand with disabled workers whose inclusion is often overlooked. We stand with LGBTQ+ workersover half the states in our nation do not have workplace protections against firing people for sexual orientation or gender identity. We stand with sexually harassed workers. We stand with workers unable to access de facto protections that exist de jure. We stand with workers for whom those protections are too late and not enough.

We cannot stand for immigrants without recognizing the stolen land we are on. This land is not ours to deny or grant others access to, and we must stand in friendship with this land as much as with all peoples on it. No immigrant strike can be intersectional without embracing decolonialization. We cannot stand for labor without recognizing the stolen (and forced) labor of slaves, who were forcibly migrated, the effects of which are still felt today. We cannot strike for labor without mentioning reparation, what would be debt past due were payment intended plus amends for dehumanization. We cannot stand for labor without mentioning prison labor, a currently legal form of slavery.

We stand with the workers on our own campus who are often overlooked, such as Maintenance and Operations (Physical Plant) staff and Bon Appetite staff. If you need us, we are here to listen and to make your voices heard. We stand for your rights for fair yearly raises; for your rights to an environment free from racist, sexist, agist, and classist discrimination by other community members; for your rights as equal parts of this community.

We stand with the students, faculty, and staff who are immigrants, hope to be immigrants, or come from immigrant families. If you need us, we are here to listen and to make your voices heard. Our community would not be as strong without you. We can support you better in your endeavors to make this home, and to bring enriching elements of your home to our USA-centric campus.

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McDonald says ‘IRA court’ must be scrapped, but backs its verdict – Irish Independent

Posted: at 10:20 pm

McDonald says 'IRA court' must be scrapped, but backs its verdict

Independent.ie

Sinn Fin's deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald is standing by her demand for the abolition of the Special Criminal Court - despite publicly welcoming the conviction of her former protg.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/mcdonald-says-ira-court-must-be-scrapped-but-backs-its-verdict-35668416.html

http://www.independent.ie/incoming/article35668078.ece/0b00b/AUTOCROP/h342/14%20NEWS%20II%20Dail%206%20TB.jpg

Sinn Fin's deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald is standing by her demand for the abolition of the Special Criminal Court - despite publicly welcoming the conviction of her former protg.

Ms McDonald has found herself at the centre of fresh controversy following the conviction of ex-Sinn Fin politician Jonathan Dowdall, who "waterboarded" and "tortured" another man.

The all-judge Special Criminal Court was originally set up to hear cases involving suspected IRA members, but in recent times has been used to deal with a wider range of charges.

Last week, the court heard how the former councillor threatened to feed his victim, Alexander Hurley, to dogs and burn his head at the stake.

Mr Hurley, who has prior fraud convictions, pleaded for his life as Mr Dowdall covered his face with a cloth and doused his head with water, while his father Patrick Dowdall threatened to cut his fingers off with pliers "knuckle by knuckle".

The court heard how Jonathan Dowdall told his victim he was a "stupid dumb f*** to mess with the head of the IRA".

The father and son, who pleaded guilty to threatening to kill their victim, are due to be sentenced later this month.

But Ms McDonald has now found herself at the centre of a political row after she released a statement welcoming the ruling of the Special Criminal Court - despite repeatedly calling for it to be scrapped.

She has also been accused of "a new low" after she tweeted pictures of Mr Dowdall in the company of her constituency rival and former lord mayor Christy Burke.

Ms McDonald is one of a number of Sinn Fin politicians who have called for the abolition of the juryless Special Criminal Court.

Despite her party's demand for its abolition, Ms McDonald released a statement backing last week's verdict in relation to her former close ally.

"I welcome the conviction of Jonathan Dowdall," she said. "The details of the attack perpetrated by him are deeply shocking. I hope the sentence reflects the seriousness of the offence and the trauma endured by his victim."

Last night, Fine Gael TD Noel Rock said the case clearly illustrates Sinn Fin's links to criminality. He accused Ms McDonald of hypocrisy.

"It's incredible Sinn Fin now finds one of its former councillors in the dock for waterboarding and torturing a member of the public. He's on trial, in fact, in the very same Special Criminal Court that Mary Lou McDonald's Sinn Fin wanted to abolish," Mr Rock said.

"It's quite clear that with Sinn Fin past and present, you are not far from criminality. It's simply unbelievable that it wanted, and still wants, to abolish the Special Criminal Court."

Last night, a Sinn Fin spokesperson said: "Deputy Rock is playing cheap politics with a serious crime. Sinn Fin's concerns with the operation of the Special Criminal Court are shared by Amnesty International, the ICCL and the UN Commission on Human Rights. Perhaps Deputy Rock opposes these groups as well."

Ms McDonald's statement last week was followed by a tweet which showed Mr Dowdall in the company of Mr Burke.

Cllr Burke accused his constituency rival of stooping to a "new low" and said he has been approached by Sinn Fin supporters who expressed their disgust at her actions.

Ms McDonald yesterday defended the tweet and reiterated her backing for the court's decision.

"It is a matter of public record that Mr Dowdall left Sinn Fin, went on to support and work for Cllr Burke and campaigned against Sinn Fin.

"The photographs I posted reflect those facts. Cllr Burke needs to make clear his position on the actions of Jonathan Dowdall," she said.

Irish Independent

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‘Amendment ignores key aspects of child welfare’ – The Hindu

Posted: at 10:20 pm

'Amendment ignores key aspects of child welfare'
The Hindu
They need an environment where they are willing to learn, else they will drop out and get back to work again, he said. To help abolish child labour, CACL has also proposed a draft Child Labour System (Abolition, Prevention and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2017.

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Rex to be affected by 457 scrapping – Daily Advertiser

Posted: at 10:20 pm

30 Apr 2017, 1 p.m.

Regional Express (Rex) is furious about the elimination of 457 visas.

Rex's CEO has said the company will be affected by the elimination of 457 visas.

Regional Express (Rex) has warned the federal government that its ruling on professional work visas will affect services in regional Australia.

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection announced changes to the immigration program, including the abolition of the temporary work visas (subclass 457).

The changes see two occupations utilised by Rex completely removed from the official list of eligible occupations aeroplane pilot and aircraft maintenance engineer.

Two other occupations are now only allowed short term visas and are ineligible for residency.

As a small regional carrier, Rex has been forced to conduct expensive recruitment exercises in South Africa, the United States and Europe to bring in experienced captains, Rex chief operating officer Neville Howell said.

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Donald Trump’s first 100 days bring us closer to freedom – Washington Times

Posted: at 10:18 pm

ANALYSIS/OPINION:

Freedom is my quest.

This driving need I have to own the responsibility for my own life and to determine how well I use every day that God gives me often compels me to make choices outside of the mainstream.

Freedom is the reason we homeschooled our children for many years, its the reason I started my own company, and its the reason I live on a bridgeless barrier island off the coast of Florida. (Well, that and the fact that I love the ocean and warm weather.)

I remember marching in a straight line down the hallway in grade school with all of the other kids like little robots, thinking I was in some sort of glorified childs prison. Snack time, recess, even art had little appeal because I had to participate at the exact moment I was told, eat only what was permitted, draw or paste only what was demanded and play the exact game that was being forced on us at that precise hour.

Please note: Im not anti-discipline, anti-order or anti-government. These things are essential to a life well lived and to free societies. I understand why children must be taught to listen and obey, that it takes rules and organization to educate the masses and that teamwork is critical to progress.

Training, discipline and government as concepts are good. After all, God created and even demands them. But any good thing, whether it is order, process or government, can quickly quash the human spirit, strangle creativity and oppress the individual.

As history continues to show us, government in the hands of the wrong people is devastating to human beings largely because it is devastating to their natural right of self-determination and personal responsibility.

One reason Im so grateful to those in our armed forces is because every hour of every day they give up what is most precious in life. They give up their freedom in order to protect ours. Whether in time of war or peace, they willingly sacrifice their right to march to the beat of their own drums and instead march with others in preparation for a possible march into war.

And freedom is why I am most grateful for President Trump and what he was able to accomplish in his first 100 days in office, even in spite of the vast attempts by the left to thwart the results of the election. The truth is obvious to all who care to see: Because of President Trump, Americans are now 100 days closer to freedom.

Consider just three (among the many) of President Trumps freedom victories, all of which have gone largely unreported by the elitists who seek greater control over our lives.

1) The executive order that declares, For every new federal regulation, two existing regulations must be eliminated. Think about that for a moment in terms of simple numbers. Lets say there are currently 10 regulations (instead of the innumerable ones that place controls on virtually every aspect of our lives). If the creation of a technology or invention necessitates a new government regulation, before Regulation # 11 is enacted, two existing ones must be eliminated. That brings the number of rules you must follow down to a total of nine. Thats one small step closer to freedom! Taken across the entire government, those steps will quickly advance us toward greater liberty.

2) The requirement that each of our mammoth federal agencies establish a Regulatory Reform Task Force to identify costly and unnecessary regulations in need of modification or repeal. Translation: Every single agency will start loosening the noose around our necks, enabling us to breathe in more freedom!

3) The selection of Judge Neil M. Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court because of his consistent record defending the Constitution. Remember, it is the U.S. Constitution that guarantees basic rights and freedoms for all Americans, regardless of race, gender, religious affiliation or political party. And it is the thwarting and trashing of our Constitution that has caused us to be less free in recent years. The fact that Justice Gorsuch now sits on the bench is a victory for every single American.

You can read all of the many ways President Trump is restoring your liberty at WhiteHouse.gov. Take the time, and you will see that under President Trump, freedom is on the move.

Rebecca Hagelin can be reached at rebecca@rebeccahagelin.com.

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Media Rights Groups: Press Freedom ‘Never Been So Threatened’ – Voice of America

Posted: at 10:18 pm

Two media rights groups have reported a sharp drop in press freedoms around the world in 2016.

The two groups note that much of the decline in media rights took place in democratic countries.

Freedom House and Reporters Without Borders say North Korea, Syria and China were the countries with the most restrictions on media in 2016. They noted that all three countries were among the worst offenders of press freedoms in recent years.

But what is changing is that democracies, such as the United States, also had a decline in press freedom last year.

Jennifer Dunham is the research director for Freedom House.

One of the biggest trends we saw were declines in democracies, and this was one of the most disturbing trends we saw.

Dunham also spoke about U.S. President Donald Trump. She noted that Trump attacked media organizations and individual reporters during the 2016 presidential campaign -- and since his election.

Dunham said free speech is still valued in the United States.

Right now, we are very concerned about the U.S., but we havent seen any kind of dramatic decline.

Delphine Halgand is the North America director of Reporters Without Borders. She says Trumps criticisms of the media are making leaders in other countries more willing to limit press freedoms.

This hate speech contributed to disinhibit attacks on the media almost everywhere in the world, including in democratic countries.

In its report last Wednesday, Reporters Without Borders said media freedom has never been so threatened. It said 62 percent of countries measured showed a decline in press freedom.

The report said the reductions in press freedoms were sharpest in places where the authoritarian strongman model has triumphed," such as Poland, Hungary and Turkey.

A woman shouts slogans outside the headquarters of the Cumhuriyet newspaper in Istanbul, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2016.

The report said the Middle East and North Africa continued to be the most dangerous area for journalists and media crews last year. Eastern Europe and Central Asia were also dangerous places for reporters.

Reporters Without Borders identified five countries with the highest level of freedom for journalists last year. They are Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and the Netherlands.

Laos, Pakistan, Sweden, Myanmar and the Philippines were the countries with the most improvements in press freedom.

Im Caty Weaver.

VOAs William Gallo and Chris Hannas reported on this story. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted their reports for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page

______________________________________________________________

decline - n. the process of becoming worse in condition or quality

trend - n.a general direction of change

dramatic- adj. sudden and extreme

disinhibit - adj. make (someone or something) less inhibited

inhibited - adj. unable to act in a relaxed and natural way

authoritarian - adj. expecting or requiring people to obey rules or laws : not allowing personal freedom

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