Monthly Archives: July 2017

Lawsuit Filed After FBI Denies FOIA Because It Would Embarrass … – Observer

Posted: July 18, 2017 at 4:36 am

President Donald Trump. Darren McCollester/Getty Images

In June 2017,Operation 45(a nonprofit dedicated to transparency and accountability from the Trump administration), MIT Ph.D. candidate Ryan Shapiro, and BuzzFeed Investigative Reporter Jason Leopold fileda Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requestlawsuitagainst the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to release its files on President Donald Trump. A press release announcing the lawsuit states, The records requested, which cover a period from June 14, 1946, through June 15, 2015, will shed new light on already known investigations linking Trump to organized crime and will provide new information about Trumps engagements with the bureau.

The Freedom of Information Act is one of the most underappreciatedelements of the entire American experiment, Ryan Shapiro said in an interview with the Observer. The notion that the governments records are the property of the people, and all we need to do to get them isto ask is radically democratic.

The group initially filed the request in March 2017, but they never received a response from the FBI. The project noted the FBI has improperly withheld responsive records on the grounds that confirming the existence or nonexistence of records would infringe Mr. Trumps privacy interests. They argued the fallacy of this excuse and cited that the public interest in these records outweighs any embarrassment Trump may face.

Several of the files that the group seeks relate to the FBIs investigations into Trumps ties with organized crime syndicates, which Pulitzer Prize winning journalist David Cay Johnston has been working for years to try to uncover. Johnstonwrote for Politico in April 2016, In all, Ive covered Donald Trump off and on for 27 years, and in that time Ive encountered multiple threads linking Trump to organized crime. Some of Trumps unsavory connections have been followed by investigators and substantiated in court; some havent. And some of those links have continued until recent years, though when confronted with evidence of such associations, Trump has often claimed a faulty memory. In anApril 27phone call to respond to my questions for this story, Trump told me he did not recall many of the events recounted in this article and they were a long time ago. He also said that I had sometimes been fair, sometimes not in writing about him, adding, If I dont like what you write, Ill sue you. Johnston outlined how Trump relied on New York City mob connections in the 1980s to build Trump Tower and casinos in Atlantic City. He also relied on several colleagues and acquaintances with organized crime connections.

Despite the gravity of the FBIs files, its unclear if and when the public will receive access to themeven with a pendinglawsuit.The Freedom of Information Act has been a vital tool for journalists, but its power is diminishing.Several journalists have complained about the Obama and Trump administrations failure or refusal to adhere to the Freedom of Information Act in a timely fashion. IBTimes investigative reporter David Sirotatweetedin March 2017, Federal and state agencies put up so many obstacles to open records requests that theyre turning FOIA into the Freedom FROM Information Act. He addedon July 13, Two years ago, I filed a FOIA for TPP-related documents from the U.S. Trade Reps office. They still havent responded.

The Obama administration set a record for withholding FOIA requests. The Wall Street Journalreportedin 2015, FOIA request backlogs have more than doubled since President Obama took office. The feds received 714,231 FOIA requests in fiscal 2014, and nearly 160,000 werent processed within the legal time limit, up 67 percent from fiscal 2013. So far, there is no indication that the Trump administration will improve these delays, rejections and refusals to comply with the Freedom of Information Act.

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Jehovah’s Witnesses Remain Banned as Russia Rejects Appeal – ChristianityToday.com

Posted: at 4:36 am

And most Russians are okay with it.

The last-ditch efforts by Jehovahs Witnesses to appeal Russias ban against their faith have failed in the countrys Supreme Court.

With all three judges siding on Monday with Russias Ministry of Justice, the April 20 ruling to liquidate the Witnesses centers and criminalize their worship standsdespite desperate pleas from members of the faith and religious freedom advocates.

The Supreme Courts decision sadly reflects the governments continued equating of peaceful religious freedom practice to extremism, said Daniel Mark, chairman of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which called out Russias violations earlier this year. The Witnesses are not an extremist group, and should be able to practice their faith openly and freely and without government repression.

In Russia, where the Russian Orthodox Church remains the dominant religious affiliation, support is high (79%) for the governments ban designating Jehovahs Witnesses as an extremist group, according to a survey conducted by the Levada Center last month.

Almost half of Russians view Witnesses as a Christian sect, while small minorities think of it as a Protestant offshoot (5%) or a variant on ordinary Christianity (2%).

Russian Protestants, though also a minority, view Jehovahs Witnesses as having their own theology and methodology. While Witnesses stand out with their distinct materials and eager proselytism, evangelicals have enjoyed a better reputation with the Russian government in many cases, as CT has previously reported.

Still, all religious groups attempting to share their faith and gain converts must adhere to the new evangelism ban enacted in Russia a year ago. The law, part of an anti-terrorism package, restricts preaching, teaching, and recruiting religious adherents to officially recognized houses of worship.

For example, Mormon missionaries have had to confine their activities to volunteering in centers, the Salt Lake Tribune reports. No more knocking on doors in a quixotic quest for converts. No more handing out pamphlets on the street. No more doctrinal discussions about prayer, prophets or priesthood.

Just last month, some missionaries were deported because of restrictions on where foreign visitors can stay; they were registered to be hosted by the church, not at their apartment address.

More than 400 Jehovahs Witnesses were resettled as refugees in the United States this fiscal year, down from almost 700 last fiscal year. However, only 53 have come from Russia since 2003, according to State Department statistics. (The most by farmore than 9,000have hailed from Cuba.)

CT previously reported on Russian evangelicals reactions to the ban on Witnesses and the ban on evangelism.

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Students create app to improve post-stroke care – USC News

Posted: at 4:35 am

The painful memories still haunt Manjima Sarkar.

Three years ago, her beloved uncle, Ardhendu Raha, began to feel quite ill. Like so many seniors, he opted not to call 911, attributing his symptoms to old age.

As his condition worsened, he finally went to the hospital, where doctors diagnosed him with a serious stroke. Because he had waited so long to seek treatment, he suffered permanent memory loss and impaired speech.

Watching him become a shell of the person he used to be has been a really bad experience, said Sarkar, a sophomore biomedical engineering student at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering. Since then, Ive had a desire to do something with stroke.

And so she has. Sarkar teamed with USC Viterbi undergraduates Rhea Choudhury, David Sealand and Adam Walker to create INTRAM, a mobile app to help patients having a stroke receive the best possible medical care in the shortest period of time.

As a measure of INTRAMs potential, the National Academy of Engineering recently selected the USC team as one of the United States representatives to this yearsInternational Student Day Business Model Competition, which will take place July 18 in Washington, D.C. Competing for more than $50,000 in funding will be 15 university teams five each from the U.S., the United Kingdom and China.

Representing the U.S. as one of five U.S. finalists is an honor for our team, said USC Viterbi Dean Yannis C. Yortsos, who serves on the steering committee of the Global Grand Challenges Summit. It also demonstrates the strength and reach of our technology innovation program for our engineering undergraduates, a key component of our Grand Challenges Scholars Program.

Addressing the Grand Challenges is like working in the garden, he added, where many colorful and unique ideas will grow. Some will become beautiful plants and will change the world.

At the international competition, teams of undergraduate engineering students will present startup business plans based on one of the associations 14 Grand Challenges. These include engineering better medicines, securing cyberspace, advancing personalized learning tools to deliver better education to more people, and making solar energy cheaper and more competitive with traditional energy sources such as coal.

The competition is dedicated to promoting engineering with social entrepreneurship and innovations for our world, the NAEs Maggie Bartolomeo said.

To reach the international finals, INTRAM had to get through the American semifinals contest held in Washington, D.C. There, the USC team competed against 11 teams from across the country. Five advanced to the next round.

When INTRAM team members learned they had made the finals, Rhea hugged me, I hugged Adam and David was just in shock, Sarkar said.

They have a right to feel joyful.

INTRAM team members appear to have come up with an app with potentially widespread application. An estimated 795,000 Americans have strokes annually, with 130,000 dying, making it the third-leading cause of death in the U.S., according to the American Stroke Association. Strokes are also the leading cause of long-term disability.

The INTRAM app, its creators say, might save thousands of lives and prevent scores of disabilities annually.

Doctors would help at-risk patients the elderly, diabetics, people with heart disease, among others download the app, which contains lots of rich information about strokes and their symptoms. At the same time, patients would scan their insurance card into the app, which would then create a database of available hospitals and treatment centers under their current insurance plans.

In the event an at-risk patient experiences stroke symptoms such as severe headaches or sudden weakness, numbness or trouble walking they could immediately call into an INTRAM-run telestroke network. Depending on the severity, a physician would encourage the patient to call an ambulance or head to an in-network treatment facility. INTRAMS search algorithm would direct the patient to the nearest medical office with the shortest wait times.

Time is of the essence with strokes.

Patients using this app would get to the hospital within a shorter time window, allowing them to receive medication that is both cheaper and more effective, said INTRAM team member Choudhury, a sophomore biomedical engineering student. This would improve their survival rates and significantly cut down on recovery time because their strokes wouldnt be allowed to progress to the point of debilitating neurological impairment.

The company hopes to market its services to health insurers, who stand to benefit financially from cheaper costs associated with post-stroke care.

INTRAM began working on the app in October. They received mentoring from Eun Ji Chung, a Gabilan Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. Team members, through a $2,500 grant from the National Science Foundation, canvassed potential customers to learn their problems and how they might address them. The NSF awarded the money to USC through an Innovation Corps I-Corps Site grant.

Looking forward, team members believe INTRAM has a bright future.

All of us feel passionate about the goal and cause, Choudhury said. Well see where this takes us.

More stories about: Emerging Technology, Entrepreneurship, Startups

USC Viterbi dean lauds the recognition of the trustees impact in technology and engineering.

The annual Robotics Open House gives visiting schoolchildren a chance to see how the next generation of robots will change the world.

At 144,000 feet, its believed to be the highest altitude achieved worldwide for a vehicle designed and manufactured by students.

Aerospace researcher develops simulations to enhance an engines stability and life span.

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Scoop Business Green’s Utopia: making everybody poorer – Scoop.co.nz

Posted: at 4:34 am

Press Release Taxpayers Union

The Taxpayers Union says the Green Partys attempt to increase the welfare state is not only an unnecessary burden on taxpayers but also founded on a misunderstanding of the economic realities facing New Zealand. Mac Mckenna, an economist at the Taxpayers Greens Utopia: The fastest way to achieving equality is to make everybody poorer 17 JULY 2017 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Taxpayers Union says the Green Partys attempt to increase the welfare state is not only an unnecessary burden on taxpayers but also founded on a misunderstanding of the economic realities facing New Zealand.

Mac Mckenna, an economist at the Taxpayers Union, says, The reality is that these new Green Party policies are based on misconstrued beliefs about the New Zealand economy. Firstly, that inequality has been increasing in New Zealand. This is quite simply not true. Two recent reports by the New Zealand Initiative and NZIER, respectively, demonstrate that inequality is unchanged in over two decades.

Secondly, their policy to increase the minimum wage by $2 an hour, and eventually indexing it to 66% of the average wage, comes in spite of New Zealand already having the highest minimum to average wage ratio in the OECD. As it currently stands, the minimum to average wage ratio in New Zealand is approximately 0.52. This is significantly higher than other comparable countries such as Australia (0.44), the UK (0.41), Canada (0.40), and the US (0.25).

The irony is that indexing the minimum wage to the average wage may become self-fulfilling under a Green Government. Their combination of policies deters growth, innovation and productivity, as well as pours away taxpayer money. It is therefore quite possible that the average wage will fall achieving their 66% average wage policy without even having to increase the minimum.

The Greens do not seem to grasp the concept that New Zealand can only get wealthier and increase living standards if we become more productive, innovative, and increase output. The Greens seem to think that disincentivizing the productive and rewarding the unproductive will make us better off.

The Greens are the only party to date who has proposed a tax increase, in the form of a new 40% top tax rate. Not only is this envy politics, but it is quite alarming that when the Governments books project enormous surpluses into the foreseeable future, the Greens still dont think New Zealand taxpayers are parting with enough of their money.

ENDS

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British boxing’s bright lights suit Hamilton’s David Nyika before he retains Oceania title – Stuff.co.nz

Posted: at 4:33 am

JOSEPH PEARSON

Last updated11:51, July 17 2017

GEORGE HEARD/STUFF

David Nyika heads to the world championships in Germany in August.

The bright lights of British boxing suit David Nyika.

The Hamilton heavyweight represented the British Lionheartsfranchise in the World Series of Boxing (WSB)and won both his fights in France and Kazakhstan.

The British team lost their semifinal of the amateur international boxing competition to Kazakhstan's Astana Arlans in early June, but Nyika further enhanced his growing reputation by defeating Kazakh fighter Anton Pinchuk, a former top ranked heavyweight in AIBAand WSB rankings.

CHRISTEL YARDLEY/STUFF

Nyika won the Oceania title on the Gold Coast last month.

Nyika, who turns 22 in August, then retained his Oceania title on the Gold Coast just three weeks later with aunanimous points decision win over Jason Whateley, theAustralian No 1 who the talented Kiwi has beaten three times on the trot.

READ MORE: * Nyika fights for British Lionhearts *Nothing changes forNyika *Nyikadeserved win overbronze medallist *Nyikatargets Gold Coast glory *Nyika'sOlympic dream is over

Spending five weeks exposed to British boxing's booming industry opened Nyika's eyes, he said, and he admitted that one day basing himself in the UK is "definitely an option".

Fellow Kiwi Joseph Parker,the WBO heavyweight champion of the world, is in England ahead of his second title defenceagainst Hughie Fury in Manchester in September, which promises to be the first of many lucrative fights with Britain's best.

But Nyika's gaze remains fixed on the world championships in Hamburg, Germany, in August beforefighting for another Commonwealth Games gold medal on the Gold Coast in April.

He trained and sparred with the likes of British Olympic light heavyweightJoshua Buatsi, who won bronze in Rio last August, as well as gaining "really valuable" insight and advice from different coaches.

"I was out of my comfort zone, which was cool because I like to rise to occasions, and I like being in foreign territory because it gives me something to be excited about," Nyika said.

"Out here in New Zealand, I barely get fights and when I do, I know I'm supposed to kick arse."

After beatingKevin Kuadjoviin Paris to gain a point for Britain's franchise in the WSB quarter-finals, Nyikaspent time trainingwith Buatsi and members of Great Britain's Olympic team.

Nyika has previously knocked out Togolese fighterKuadjovi in Olympic qualifying in Azerbaijan last year, but a tough assignment was next in Kazakhstan.

"I really didn't want to go to be honest because I was already getting homesick and I was being taken from one environment to another," he admitted.

"I was getting tired of the travelling and my body clock was all out of whack. I was just focused on putting on a good performance against one of the world's top ranked heavyweights."

Fellow Kiwis Chad Milnes, a lightweight, andPatrick Mailata, a super heavyweight, were also drafted into Britain's WSB team to fight in a competition stacked with the world's best amateur boxers, one of whom Nyika would face in Pinchuk, a highly-ranked heavyweight.

But hewon on points unanimously in the Kazakh city of Kostanay,after being awarded four of the five three-minute rounds.

"He was a tough dude but he pretty much gave me exactly what I expected," Nyika said.

"He was a real class act and a good boxer but I knew I would just have to stick to my guns."

Nyika returned home having "never felt fitter" with his weight settled around 91kg after training three or four times a day for four weeks.

The Oceania Championships in late June then saw him defeat a Papua New Guinean fighter before beating Australian Olympic boxer Whateley for the third time in his career, and retain the Oceania title he won in 2015.

AIBA's world championships commence in Hamburg from August 25 and Nyika will head to Germany having worked harder than ever with a new intense training schedule well underway.

Nyika lost toUzbekistani boxer RustamTulaganovat the quarterfinal stages of the last world championships in Doha, Qatar back in 2015.

Tulaganov also beat Nyika in Olympic qualifying last year but only time will what his next movemight be after the Commonwealth Games, and whether he turns professional or targets another Olympics.

Nyikasaid: "Turning professional is just a matter of timing. I've worked too hard not to reap some rewards from boxing.

"But I'm not boxing to prove a point to anyone but myself."

AT A GLANCE

New Zealand's medals at the Oceania boxing championships

Gold: David Nyika(91kg), Ryan Scaife (75kg), Richie Hadlow (64kg) Silver: Patrick Mailata(91kg+), Jarrod Banks (81kg), Chad Milnes (60kg) Bronze: LeroyHindley (69kg), Keegan O'Kane-Jones (56kg), Ivan Pavich(53kg)

-Stuff

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Tourist establishment in Seychelles supporting community initiatives … – eTurboNews

Posted: at 4:33 am

Seychelles, a tiny archipelago of 115 islands, has once again been featured worldwide. An international news channel has thrown the spotlight on how communities in Seychelles, including a tourist establishment, are working to mitigate and fight the effects of climate change.

The visit of a filming crew to the Indian Ocean islands earlier in May, has led to the production of three segments aired on Cable News Network (CNN)s Inside Africa program. The first airing was on Friday, July 7.

The first two segments entitled Seychelles: 115 islands vs climate change and After the storm: How to rebuild a coral reef highlighted the threats of climate change to the islands, including changing weather patterns, coastal erosion and the effects of rising sea temperatures on the coral reefs.

The direct impacts of these occurrences on the lives and activities of the locals and several initiatives being conceived, including underwater coral gardening to help restore the reefs were also showcased. Augustin Desaubin a local fisherman residing at Anse Forbans on the southern coast of the main island, Mah, is one who got to compare the harvest of his fishing trips as a young boy and now that he is almost in his 50s.

In the third segment entitled Seychelles is making a difference, Inside Africa shows that its not only the government coming up with initiatives, but that ordinary citizens are also taking action to combat climate change.

Producers got to film work being done by the Cerf Island Conservation Program and the Marine Conservation Society Seychelles to clean the coastlines and rehabilitate the reefs. They also spoke to Lisa Laporte Booyse, the Marketing Manager of a local tourist establishment Chalets d Anse Forbans who was inspired by such conservation efforts to join with people in her neighborhood to set up the Anse Forbans Community Conservation Program. The non-governmental organization, which was launched in February this year, is already working with other partners to develop its own coral restoration and wetland restoration programs as well as mapping out new hikes and trails for the local community and tourists.

Commenting on her appearance on the program, Mrs. Laporte Booyse explained that the international new channel had approached the Marine Conservation Society Seychelles (MCSS) for community groups to discuss climate change effects on the environment and their livelihoods. The efforts of the various groups to educate tourists holidaying in the Seychelles about climate change, its effects on the archipelago and what is being done to mitigate the impacts were also featured in the program.

Mrs. Laporte Booyse who is also the Chairperson of the Anse Forbans Community Conservation Program said: Such global reach impacts not only Chalets dAnse Forbans exposure, but the Seychelles internationally. It has highlighted how communities are doing something to combat climate change, how the Chalets are a part of sustainable tourism, how they care for their environment and want to make a change.

Chalets d Anse Forbans is a self-catering beach establishment built on a former coconut plantation. Boasting 12 beach chalets and 2 family chalets, the establishment owned by the Jumeau family has been in operation for 23 years. It is described as a quiet tourist area offering peace and tranquility to visitors also wanting to be in touch with nature.

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Bahamas Tops Guatemala 68-65 – Bahamas Tribune

Posted: at 4:30 am

TEAM TALK: Team Bahamas closed out FIBA Women's Centrobasket yesterday with a 68-65 victory over Guatemala.

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

AFTER a disappointing showing with four consecutive losses, the Bahamas closed out the FIBA Women's Centrobasket 2017 with a win in their final game.

Leashja Grant delivered another dominant performance with 14 points and 21 rebounds in the Bahamas' 68-65 win over Guatemala yesterday at UVI Arena in St Thomas, United States Virgin Islands.

Valerie Nesbitt finished with 12 points and five assists, Shalonda Neely added 10 points and six rebounds while team captain Phylicia Kelly chipped in with eight points.

The Bahamas had their best shooting game of the tournament at 40 per cent from the field and 40 per cent from three-point range while they also limited Guatemala to just 28 per cent.

Grant led the Bahamas' dominance on the boards, winning the rebounding advantage 60-36. They also scored 36 points in the paint, a 14-point edge over Guatemala while they also outscored them by 45 in bench points.

Neely scored the final four points for the Bahamas as they moved ahead in the game's final minute. Guatemala took the lead from the free throw line (65-64) with 1:56 left in regulation.

Neely grabbed an offensive rebound and scored the putback to give the Bahamas a 66-65 lead at the 1:10 mark and followed with the game's final score, a tip-in with 30 seconds left to play.

The Bahamas took an early lead in the first quarter, something that has been rare for the team throughout the tournament.

Tracey Lewis' runner with less than 30 seconds left to play gave the Bahamas a 17-8 lead headed into the second period. Guatemala opened the second quarter on a 9-0 run to tie the game at 17 on an Alma Lopez layup.

Lashae Rolle's baseline jumper stemmed the tide and stopped the drought for the Bahamas. Guatemala would take their first lead of the game on a Krystha Cano layup, before Rolle tied it again with another jumper and Joette Fernander's jumper regained the lead for the Bahamas. They took a 25-24 lead into the half. Guatemala took control in the third quarter and took a four point lead into the final frame. The Bahamas had its top scoring period of the tournament when they outscored Guatemala 26-19 to close out the game.

Lopez led Guatemala with 20 points, Emily Rosales scored 16 and Sonia Vasquez scored 15.

The Bahamas opened the tournament with a closely contested hard fought loss to Mexico and went on to also drop decisions against Jamaica, the USVI and Puerto Rico.

The tournament featured The Bahamas, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

After the 5-day tournament, the top three teams will qualify to the FIBA Women's AmeriCup 2017, to be played in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from August 6-13.

The previous edition of the Women's Centrobasket Championship was played in Monterrey, Mexico, where Cuba captured the title with a perfect 5-0 record.

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Elmhurst College students travel to Bahamas with Shedd Aquarium – Suburban Life Publications

Posted: at 4:30 am

Photo provided by Shedd Aquarium/Mary Gryzbek

Caption

ELMHURST Even though she lives in the Chicago suburbs, Elmhurst College student Alyssa Arwady is doing everything she can to keep the oceans clean and free of the trash that can harm delicate ecosystems in faraway locales.

Arwady was one of three Elmhurst College students who spent nine days in May in the Bahamas as part of the Shedd Aquariums Marine and Island Ecology course. The other students were Elisabeth Skeens and Amaar Zafar.

It was a life-changing trip, said Arwady, 25, a post-baccalaureate science and health education student. I didnt realize the impact that humans have on places like the Bahamas. We did a trash cleanup on an uninhabited island, and seeing the amount of trash we picked up was eye-opening. It really made me conscious of the things I do on a daily basis that can have negative effects.

The Shedds program is offered to students of 15 small, private liberal arts colleges in the Chicago area through the Associated Colleges of the Chicago Area organization. Twenty students are invited to take the for-credit class, which focuses on marine life and ecosystems of islands like the Bahamas.

In March, students began taking all-day courses every Saturday at the aquarium. There, they learned about the animals and habitats they would encounter in the Bahamas and how those ecosystems interact in that environment. Many of the species the group saw on the trip are endangered.

Rebecca Gericke, Conservation Research Programs manager and course instructor, said students also learn about habitat conservation and species identification.

Once they get to the Bahamas, everything is hands on, so they can see everything we talked about in class, she said. They spend their days snorkeling, hiking and observing the marine and island ecology. The trip allows them to get an experience that they cant get in a classroom, and traveling to the Bahamas is not an experience that many have previously had.

The students stayed in small cabins on a research vessel the Shedd owns and traveled from island to island in the Bahamas during the adventure. In addition to exploring the ecosystems, students participated in data collection for research Shedd scientists are currently working on.

Most of the students are biology majors, so theyre getting to take part in scientific research, which is a valuable skill for anyone who wants to go onto a career in science, Gericke said. They also learn that humans have a big impact on the environment, which is constantly being changed by things humans are doing. People protect what they know and understand. Its important for them to have exposure to these areas so they can understand them and develop a personal connection and want to protect them.

Arwady said the biggest thing shes taken away from the experience is how much of an impact human behavior has on other ecosystems. She said she hopes to educate family, friends and her future students on things they can do to make a positive impact.

Its often out of sight, out of mind, because were so far away, but we have such an impact and dont realize what a problem it will be down the road, she said. I want people to get a better understanding of how they can have a positive effect, like using less plastic, not using plastic straws, and being more mindful of wastefulness. I want people to reuse more items so they dont end up in landfills.

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Youth Athletes Aim for Glory in Bahamas – channel5belize

Posted: at 4:30 am

Jul 17, 2017

A small contingent of athletes headed today for the Bahamas where the Commonwealth Games are taking place this week. One thousand athletes will be competing overall in nine sporting disciplines. News Five caught up with local athletes at the Philip Goldson International Airport where the hopefuls in track and field, cycling and tennis were all geared up to take on competing athletes from seventy countries. News Fives Duane Moody reports.

Duane Moody, Reporting

Meet the team of five Belizean athletes and two officials that will represent Belize in Bahamas for the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games in the field of Athletics, also referred to as Track and Field, Cycling and Tennis. Today, the team left the country on an American Airlines flight in hopes of performing their best and return with medals. The international games will feature over one thousand athletes from seventy participating nations. A track star herself, Tricia Flores is the Athletics Official that is traveling with the team.

Tricia Flores, Athletics Official

It started with the senior athletes, but because they want the younger athletes to get this exposure as well. Thats how it came about yes.

Tricia Flores

Duane Moody

What is your advice for these young persons going out thereto prepare themselves to do these things?

Tricia Flores

Well I could speak of the track and field athletesthe athletes in general.to go out there and just try their best, do their best. Because I believe that they are more talented than us. I would just say that they could go out there, be their best and let the country look good, let themselves look good as well.just represent us well.

Sixteen-year-old Hilary Gladden and seventeen-year-old Joshire Stanley are runners for the two hundred and one hundred meters athletics games. Both are fairly new to the sport, but are considered powerhouses in the track and field world in Belize.

Hilary Gladden

Hilary Gladden, 200M Athlete

I feel good. Ive been running for one year, from since I was in second form. It is such a privilege to be proud to represent Belize.

Joshire Stanley, 100M Athlete

It took me at least a year and three months to prepare for my event.

Joshire Stanley

Duane Moody

How long have you been running and your anticipations for the games?

Joshire Stanley

Ive been running for at least two years and my anticipation is just to do my best and make Belize proud.

While Adrian Marshalleck is the only athlete to represent Belize in the tennis singles category, Gian Lino and Nashen Ysaguirre are confident that cycling results will see them on top.

Nashen Ysaguirre

Nashen Ysaguirre, Cyclist

This will be my second trip pertaining to cycling. Ive been riding for approximately two years so we have some high expectations.

Duane Moody

Talk to us about thatdo you expect to come back with some medals?

Nashen Ysaguirre

Its possible. Last year, we went to St. Lucia and seeing that it was the first cycling trip for most of the guys, we did great. I expect much better results this year, maybe a top three.

Duane Moody for News Five.

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Norwegian Sun bids adieu to Alaska, hello to Cuba and Bahamas … – National Post

Posted: at 4:30 am

Norwegian Cruise Line is shuffling the deck on its 2018 deployments, and there are some exciting developments in store for folks who are planning a cruise to Alaska, the Caribbean and Cuba.

Right now, Norwegian has its 2,004-guest Norwegian Sky operating short, all-inclusive cruises to Havana, Cuba, out of Miami. Norwegian took the unusual step of making all alcoholic beverages aboard Norwegian Sky complimentary back in 2016, and the decision has proven to be popular on the ships quick runs to the Bahamas, as well as its recently inaugurated sailings to Cuba.

Now, Norwegian has announced it will send Norwegian Skys sister ship, Norwegian Sun, on short cruises to Cuba in 2018. Shell make her home in Port Canaveral, Fla., near Orlando, and will operate four-day cruises to Havana and Key West, along with short three-day cruises to the Bahamas.

Rather than sailing to Alaska as originally planned, Norwegian Sun will go into dry dock in Victoria in April 2018 for a two-and-a-half-week-long refit. There, shell receive a stem-to-stern refresh as part of the cruise lines new Norwegian Edge program, which aims to add some of the bells and whistles found aboard Norwegians newest ships to its older, but no less loved, vessels.

Like Norwegian Sky, Norwegian Suns new Cuba and Bahamas sailings out of Port Canaveral will also feature unlimited complimentary beverages included in the cost of the cruise. Shell make her way down to the Caribbean on April 19, 2018, on a unique 17-day Panama Canal transit that starts in Seattle.

Our all-inclusive model aboard Norwegian Sky has been very well-received and as we evaluated the opportunity to expand upon that concept, we felt that Port Canaveral was the ideal location to offer our guests a value-rich on-board experience and exciting action-packed ports of call, including an overnight call in Havana, said Andy Stuart, president and chief executive of Norwegian Cruise Line.

Norwegian Suns new voyages to Cuba will include a port call in Key West, Fla., as well as an overnight stay in Havana. The ship will dock in the centre of Old Havana recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site, where guests can go ashore to take part in authentically Cuban experiences. The ships three-day sailings to the Bahamas call on Nassau and Great Stirrup Cay, Norwegian Cruise Lines private island.

Because Norwegian Sun will be leaving Alaska (and Vancouver) next year, the newer, larger Norwegian Jewel will reposition north to take her place. Launched in 2005, the 2,376-guest Norwegian Jewel is a great ship to experience Alaska on, which plenty of open deck space and public rooms with vast swaths of floor-to-ceiling windows.

Norwegian Jewel will sail two basic itineraries to Alaska: weeklong round trips from Vancouver that call on Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan; or seven-day voyages between Vancouver and Seward, with stops along the way in Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, and Glacier Bay National Park. Southbound cruises (Seward to Vancouver) will substitute Icy Strait Point for Glacier Bay. Both itineraries will include scenic cruising by Hubbard Glacier.

Elsewhere, Norwegian just took the wraps off its 2017-18 Meet the Winemaker cruises. Exclusively available aboard select Norwegian Escape and Norwegian Dawn sailings, guests will have the opportunity to engage with famous winemakers from around the world. Each voyage will feature tasting opportunities, seminars and open-forum Q&A sessions that are held in the ships atrium. The open forums and meet-and-greet opportunities are complimentary and are open to all guests, while tastings will start at US$19.95 per person.

Winemakers featured on board Norwegian Escape include Bill Whiting, director of wine education at Banfi Vintners (Nov. 4); television chef Aarn Snchez (Dec. 2); Gerard Bertrand, renowned vintner of Languedoc-Roussillon (Feb. 17, 2018); and fashion designer and winemaker Salvatore Ferragamo (March 2018). Michael Mondavi, founder of the Michael Mondavi Family Estate, sails aboard Norwegian Dawns Sept. 22 cruise to New England and the Canadian Maritimes, round trip from Boston.

Happy cruising.

Visitportsandbows.com, sponsored by Expedia CruiseShipCenters,1-800-707-7327,www.cruiseshipcenters.com, for daily updates on the latest cruise news, best deals and behind-the-scenes stories from the industry. You can also sign up for an email newsletter on the site for even more cruise information. Aaron Saunders may be contacted directly atportsandbowsaaron@gmail.com

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Norwegian Sun bids adieu to Alaska, hello to Cuba and Bahamas ... - National Post

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