text:
Counter-Daesh Campaign: Iraq and Syria
I call the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. It is good that he has beetled into the Chamber just in time. We are greatly obliged to him.
12.36 pm
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Boris Johnson)
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. With your permission, I shall make a statement updating the House on the campaign against Daesh in Iraq and Syria.
Two years ago, a global coalition that now embraces 67 members came together with the overriding aim of destroying Daesh. The words of one Iraqi recently liberated from Daesh demonstrate in vivid terms why that goal is so necessary. He said of living under Daesh:
"Life was a disaster. We felt like captives and we were afraid all the time."
Our campaign has now reached a crucial moment. Iraqi forces have fought their way to the eastern fringe of Mosul, two weeks after the onset of an offensive designed to break Daesh's grip on the largest city within its domain. I want to update the House today on every aspect of the effort to vanquish Daesh and on Britain's role in this endeavour.
I turn first to the situation around Mosul. Iraqi security forces and Kurdish peshmerga are advancing on the city from the east and the south. The town of Bazwaia, just 2 miles east of Mosul, is among several dozen settlements that have been liberated. Iraqi spearhead units have advanced still further, striking as far as the outskirts of Mosul itself. Overall, the campaign is making good progress. In some areas, Daesh has mounted fierce resistance, dispatching scores of suicide bombers against the liberating forces. It has mounted diversionary attacks in the city of Kirkuk and as far away as the town of Rutba, almost 400 miles south-west of Mosul. The House can be sure that Daesh will be driven from Mosul, but this is the toughest task that Iraq's security forces have yet encountered, and success will take time.
We have worked tirelessly with the Government of Iraq, the Kurdish regional government, the United Nations and our coalition partners to prepare for this campaign. The aim is to defeat Daesh in a way that protects civilians, minimises human suffering and promotes a political settlement. I pay tribute to Prime Minister Abadi for his statesmanship and his acute awareness that genuine Iraqi national reconciliation must follow Daesh's defeat. The terrorists have threatened to inflict a scorched earth campaign once the loss of Mosul becomes inevitable. Already, they have set oil wells ablaze and destroyed a sulphur plant south of the city, releasing clouds of noxious gas. Daesh's vindictiveness in defeat may cause many of Mosul's people to flee. The Iraqi Government are leading the humanitarian response, helped by aid agencies and the UN. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development has announced a further £40 million of UK humanitarian aid, focused on Mosul. I commend her leadership, which has placed Britain at the forefront of the international response, bringing the total amount of British aid pledged for Iraq to almost £170 million.
Even before the advance on Mosul, the coalition and local forces had broken Daesh's grip on about half of the territory it once controlled in Iraq and a quarter in Syria. Our armed forces have been crucial to this effort. The House will wish to join me in paying tribute to British servicemen and women who are working tirelessly to vanquish Daesh and keep our country safe. On the ground, we have 500 British soldiers in Iraq, where they are helping to train that country's forces. Across the middle east, nearly 1,350 British military personnel are supporting operations against Daesh. Our troops have helped to train more than 29,000 members of the Iraqi security forces, including some units now approaching Mosul. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence announced last week, the UK will resume training of vetted members of Syrian opposition groups to fight Daesh. In the air, the RAF has delivered 1,105 air strikes against Daesh—1,038 in Iraq and 67 in Syria. With the exception of the United States, no country's air force has carried out more strikes.
However, as the Chilcot report reminded us, the gains of any military operation will be preserved only if they are followed by the painstaking task of stabilisation and rebuilding lives. As more areas are liberated from Daesh, protecting the population and helping them to return to their homes is a central priority of the Government of Iraq, working alongside the coalition and the UN. Britain is providing over £15 million for UN stabilisation efforts. Wherever Daesh is driven back, we are helping to fund the UN to clear the lethal explosives the terrorists leave behind, repair water supplies, restore power networks and reopen schools. So far, over 775,000 people have been helped to return home to liberated areas of Iraq, including the Sunni heartlands of the Euphrates valley.
Daesh's defeats on the battlefield are helping to counter its ideological narrative. The UK leads the coalition's efforts in this area. We host the coalition's global communications cell in London, where experts from 10 countries are working together to blunt the edge of terrorist propaganda. Daesh's propaganda output has fallen by around 70% in the last year. As one defeat succeeds another, they are increasingly seen for what they are: a failing and disintegrating movement. On 19 September at the UN in New York, I launched a global campaign, alongside my Iraqi and Belgian counterparts, to bring Daesh to justice. Our aim is simply justice for all those affected by Daesh, regardless of their religious beliefs and including those who suffered in terrorist attacks around the world. I intend the campaign to be led by the UN and to begin by gathering and preserving evidence of Daesh crimes in Iraq. However long it may take, those who committed unspeakable acts must be brought to justice.
I turn now to the situation in Syria. As the House debated in September, the brutality of Assad, and the misguided interventions of Russia and Iran, are prolonging the civil war and postponing the final defeat of Daesh. Assad and his allies have hurled their strength against opposition-held eastern Aleppo. Russia and Iran claim to be fighting Jabhat al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda, yet they have joined forces with Assad to carry out an assault on eastern Aleppo, where 275,000 people are living under siege and where the UN has been unable to deliver aid for the last four months.
The House should be in no doubt that the attack on eastern Aleppo has little to do with defeating terrorism and everything to do with preserving Assad's blood-soaked regime. Wherever Daesh has lost ground in Syria, this has frequently owed nothing to Assad or his backers. In August, it was the Syrian Democratic Forces that threw Daesh out of the town of Manbij. In September, moderate armed opposition groups, helped by Turkish forces, expelled Daesh from Dabiq, a town in northern Syria of great symbolic significance. The same combination drove Daesh from the towns of Jarabulus and al-Rai. The lesson is clear. While Assad, Russia and Iran inflict untold suffering on eastern Aleppo, it is Turkey and the moderate Syrian opposition who are pressing on with the task of defeating Daesh.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation across Syria is appalling. More than five years of civil war have killed or displaced about half of the entire population. Last Wednesday, Stephen O'Brien, formerly a member of this House and now the UN's Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, gave a briefing to the Security Council and I would recommend that every Member read it. He described the "apocalyptic horror" being visited upon eastern Aleppo. Only six partially functioning hospitals survive in this besieged wasteland where fewer than 30 doctors struggle to bind the wounds of a population under relentless assault. Last Friday, a rebel alliance that includes Syria's branch of al-Qaeda attacked regime-held western Aleppo. They shelled the area and killed at least 40 civilians, including children. I condemn attacks on civilians whoever carries them out—I am sure the whole House will agree.
Britain has pledged £2.3 billion to the Syria relief effort—our largest ever response to a single crisis, making us the second biggest humanitarian donor behind the US—but in the end a political transition away from Assad is the only way to end the civil war and defeat Daesh. That is why I convened a meeting on 16 October in London of our key partners, including Secretary Kerry of the United States. We discussed our options for responding to the situation in Syria, particularly the humanitarian crisis in Aleppo. The EU Foreign Affairs Council has agreed to increase the pressure on Assad, including by imposing sanctions on more members of his regime. Last week, another 10 individuals were added to the EU sanctions list, including military commanders responsible for ordering chemical attacks and planning assaults on Aleppo.
At the same time, a UN investigation confirmed yet again what this Government have long known, namely that Assad's forces have repeatedly used poison gas. The UN's Joint Investigative Mechanism has concluded that regime forces employed chemical weapons three times and Daesh once. We are pressing for a UN resolution to hold accountable those who used such horrific weapons in defiance of the rules of war. If Russia chooses, once again, to protect Assad by casting its veto, it will be shielding someone whose forces have been found guilty over and over again—by a UN investigation that the Kremlin itself supported—of killing their own people with poison gas. I say that vetoing such a resolution would be unconscionable. But I wish to make one point abundantly clear: Russia could win the acclaim of the world by permanently halting the bombing of civilians and persuading Assad to return to negotiations. As well as being profoundly right in itself, that would be the single greatest contribution that Russia could make to the struggle against Daesh.
Daesh is also coming under pressure in Libya. Forces aligned to the Government of National Accord, supported by US airstrikes, have weakened Daesh's hold on the city of Sirte. The international community must support the full implementation of the Libyan political agreement, and that was why Secretary Kerry and I co-hosted a meeting on Monday with key international partners and the Libyan Prime Minister, Mr al-Sarraj. Hon. Members should have no false hopes. Despite our efforts and our progress, Daesh remains determined and fanatical. Its defeat will require the liberation of Raqqa, its stronghold in Syria.
Even as Daesh is being routed on the battlefield, our country still faces a grave threat from terrorism, so I pay tribute to the dedication of those in our security and intelligence services, who have foiled 12 plots to attack the UK since September 2013. The flow of British citizens to join Daesh or other terrorist groups in Syria has fallen steadily since the beginning of 2015. Approximately 850 people of national security concern have travelled to Syria since the war began. We estimate that just under half have returned, and 15% have been killed.
In conclusion, the campaign to liberate Mosul opens a vital chapter in the struggle against Daesh. It will not be the final one, but Daesh is now in retreat on every battlefront in Iraq and Syria. After so much bloodshed, its downfall is not a matter of if but when. I commend this statement to the House.
Emily Thornberry (Islington South and Finsbury) (Lab)
I join the Secretary of State in recognising the extraordinary commitment and bravery of the men and women of our armed forces. As we approach Remembrance Day, our thoughts are with not only those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the past, but those who put their lives at risk every day to keep us safe.
I also welcome the Secretary of State's update on the progress made in fighting Daesh in both Syria and Iraq. Even in the past week, we have seen further evidence of the medieval horror and barbarism that has become Daesh's trademark: a Free Syrian Army prisoner blown to pieces with an artillery gun; children being forced to carry out executions; and Daesh's own fighters in Mosul being forcibly drowned for attempting to surrender. Equally disturbing was yesterday's audio message, attributed to Daesh leader Mr al-Baghdadi, calling on jihadis inside Mosul to fight to the death and urging their counterparts around the world to strike at western targets, and doing so in terms that were nakedly sectarian in their demonisation of Shi'a Muslims. What assessment have the intelligence agencies made of the authenticity of that audio message? If it is authentic, what is its significance?
There is no doubt that those words and actions, despicable as they are, are those of a movement that is embattled, weakened and in retreat. Nowhere is that more true than in the ongoing battle for Mosul. I join the Secretary of State in saluting the bravery of the Iraqi armed forces, the peshmerga fighters, the Shi'a militia and the Sunni tribesmen who are leading this courageous and vital fight. I also pay tribute to the skill and expertise of the personnel from Britain and other countries who are advising them.
As the battle moves deeper into the city, it is more important than ever for this operation to proceed with discipline and professionalism. We know that Daesh will be fully prepared to use Mosul's population as human shields, to execute those who try to surrender and to use terrorist tactics against the Iraqi forces. Unfortunately, high numbers of civilian casualties therefore seem inevitable. Can the Secretary of State tell us how the Iraqi forces plan to keep those casualties to a minimum when conducting their own operations? I am sure that he will have been as shocked as I was by reports from Amnesty International of Sunni tribesmen taking part in the anti-Daesh coalition engaging in reprisals in the villages that they have liberated around Mosul against civilians who were alleged to have supported Daesh. How can we best ensure that such behaviour is not repeated inside Mosul itself? How can we best ensure that stability is restored? How can we avoid sectarian violence? How can we avoid a dangerous power vacuum once Daesh's forces in Mosul have been destroyed?
The Secretary of State has rightly referred to Chilcot and the lessons that need to be learned from it. Over the years, we have learned one clear lesson from Iraq: winning the battle is never enough; we must also plan effectively for the peace. I therefore hope that the Secretary of State can tell us how those plans are progressing.
Finally on Mosul, I welcome the Secretary of State's commitment to provide lasting support to the tens of thousands of civilians who have been displaced from their homes and will face destitution in the aftermath of the battle. Have there been similar commitments of humanitarian aid from our coalition partners in Iraq? If there have not, will he press them to match the UK's contribution?
I also thank the Secretary of State for his update on progress against Daesh in Syria. Although much of our attention has been focused on the dreadful assault on eastern Aleppo—I fully agree with his remarks about Russia and the Assad regime—we must not lose sight of the fight in Syria against Daesh. Last week, the US Defence Secretary, Ashton Carter, said that an attack on Raqqa would begin
"in the next few weeks"
This level of urgency was reportedly triggered because of fears that an imminent attack on targets overseas was being planned within Raqqa. However, the question remains as to whether Kurdish fighters can be part of any operation on Raqqa if Turkey is also involved. If they cannot, without those Kurdish fighters, are there sufficient numbers of trained moderate Sunni rebels to take Raqqa on their own? What is the Secretary of State's assessment of the likely timetable to move on Raqqa, of the composition of the ground forces who will wage that battle, and of the role that UK personnel and resources will play?
We welcome the progress that has been made in the fight against Daesh in recent weeks in Mosul and elsewhere. That vital fight is one on which we support the Government and that we are clearly winning. We also welcome signs that this progress will be maintained in Raqqa, meaning that Daesh will lose its strongholds in both Iraq and Syria. I thank the Secretary of State again for his update, but hope he can address the few outstanding issues I raised.
I am very grateful to the hon. Lady for her general support for the progress that has been made by the coalition forces, involving 67 nations, in defeating Daesh in Iraq and Syria. British servicemen and women in that theatre will welcome her words and the support from the House of Commons.
Let me deal with some of the points that the hon. Lady raises. She asked about Mr al-Baghdadi's propaganda video inciting people to fight, which many Members will have seen. It is a cruel irony that, as she may know, some of the intelligence we have suggests that the gentleman in question has vacated the scene, but he is none the less using internet media to encourage people to take part in violence.
The hon. Lady asked the most important question, which is really about the management of Mosul after it is recaptured. I am talking about the management of a city of 1.5 million people who are mostly Sunnis. How will it be managed? It is vital that that should be done with a force that is plural in its composition—President Abadi and the Iraqi forces have done their level best to ensure that it is so—and that there is a government structure that commands the confidence of the people of Mosul, that delivers services for the people of Mosul, and that gets that town running again in a way that, frankly, it has not done under the tyranny of Daesh.
I can give the hon. Lady every possible reassurance that a huge amount of preparation has been made over many, many months by the United Nations Development Programme and others, with the active participation of this and other Governments around the world who wish to see a secure future for that city. Everybody understands the paramount importance of bridging the sectarian divide. Prime Minister Abadi has talked the right language about wanting to reconcile his country and the communities therein.
The hon. Lady asks about the timetable for the recapture of Raqqa and the American plans for that. It would be premature to give such a timetable now. What Ashton Carter was referring to was the plan to isolate Raqqa rather than specifically to recapture it. I do not think that we should get into detailed speculation about the timetable now.
None the less, looking at the situation in the round, I think that the House will accept that considerable progress is being made by the coalition in defeating Daesh, which not only has sustained a series of military defeats but, since 2014 when this campaign began, has lost Tikrit, Baiji, Sinjar, Ramadi, Hit, Ruqba and Fallujah in Iraq. In the Kurdish areas of Syria, it has lost al-Shaddadi, Manbij, Dabiq, Jarabulus and al-Rai. Very substantial progress has been made territorially, which is having a profound moral impact on the credibility of that evil body and exposing it for what it is: a disintegrating and failing terrorist organisation.
Several hon. Members rose—
Order. This is an extremely important and sensitive matter, but may I just point out to the House that there are several Members on both sides of the House who entered the Chamber after the Foreign Secretary began his statement, but who apparently, in defiance of all convention, expect to be called, which they should not? Although this is incredibly important, we have important further business to which to proceed, so I appeal to Members to please ask brief, single-sentence supplementary questions without preamble no matter how elevated their status in the House. I call Mr Crispin Blunt.
Crispin Blunt (Reigate) (Con)
Is the Foreign Secretary satisfied that he has resources in the stabilisation unit in the United Kingdom and the stabilisation forces in the United Nations that are adequate to the task in Mosul? Will he give us his assessment of what is going on between Turkey and Iraq—the war of words between those leaders and the massing of Turkish armour on the borders of, and indeed in, Iraq?
It is vital that where Turkey can be useful—it certainly can be useful, and is more than useful in the struggle against Daesh—we maximise and optimise its contribution. Clearly there are sensitivities and difficulties that need to be managed, particularly in its handling of the Kurdish areas, where there is a risk of disagreement about the nature of some of the Kurdish groups and the threat that they pose to Turkey, and the utility that they have for the world in defeating Daesh. I am confident that we will be able to work towards the stabilisation of Mosul. As my hon. Friend knows, the UK has made considerable financial contributions towards that effort already. In September, we announced £40 million in humanitarian assistance for Mosul, bringing our total contribution to £169 million. We are also providing £300 million in loan guarantees to Iraq through the World Bank. Clearly this process must primarily be done by the Government of Iraq. This is a massive moral and political challenge for them, and obviously we are doing everything we can to support them.
Ms Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh (Ochil and South Perthshire) (SNP)
I am very grateful to the Foreign Secretary and I welcome his update, particularly on the current situation in Mosul. I also take this opportunity to pay tribute to our servicewomen and men who put their lives at risk for our safety.
The lives of 1.2 million civilians trapped in Mosul are indeed in grave danger. Their wellbeing is paramount, and no effort must be spared in ensuring that they are protected during the fighting and cared for in the aftermath; they suffered long enough during the two years of Daesh occupation.
The Foreign Secretary recognises the challenges that face Mosul. Will he confirm what contingency plans have been made to support an exodus from Mosul, which has long been predicted by the UN and by aid agencies on the ground?
On Syria, the Foreign Secretary speaks of liberating Raqqa. I appreciate that he does not wish to provide a timetable, but will he confirm that there is in fact a plan in place to do that? He has often said that he is working with the Syrian High Negotiations Committee. However, that appears to be at cross purposes with the Ministry of Defence, which is providing military support to the Syrian democratic forces, which were excluded from opposition talks in Riyadh by the HNC less than a year ago. Will the Foreign Secretary explain that contradiction?
The Foreign Secretary refers to the resumption of training of vetted members of Syrian opposition groups. One year ago, the US-led $500 million training programme of moderate Syrian opposition forces was suspended by President Obama because of its total failure to produce any competent soldiers. Will the Foreign Secretary explain what has changed on the ground since then to lead the Government to believe that the results will be any different now? He is on record as stating that it is only when the fighting and bombing stops that we can hope to deliver the political solution, but we need to see real evidence of progress in this direction as a matter of urgency.
I am grateful to the hon. Lady for her questions. She is right to be concerned about the possible westward movement of refugees from Mosul and the possible movement of Daesh terrorists from Mosul to Raqqa. That is certainly being considered in a military context. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is currently budgeting for a migration of about 90,000 people. Preparations have been made. The UK, as I said earlier, is at the forefront of funding preparations for any such eventual movement. Clearly, the success of the operation in Mosul will largely dictate how that turns out.
On the hon. Lady's point about the Kurdish opposition and the High Negotiations Committee, let us be in no doubt that the HNC is a broad-based grouping that brings together people from across Syria. It has a great deal of credibility as a pluralistic and forward-looking entity that captures the possible future for that country and shows that there really can be a future for Syria without Assad, who can no longer govern that country given that he is overwhelmingly responsible for the deaths of the majority of the 400,000 people who have died in that conflict. The HNC has a great deal of credibility and we should be giving it our full backing.
I call John Redwood. [Interruption.] It is very unusual for him not to be here—[Interruption.] He was here, indeed. I call Sir Henry Bellingham.
Sir Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk) (Con)
The crimes committed by Daesh, including crimes against children, and hangings and crucifixions, are beyond brutal and horrendous. What more can be done to use UK expertise to help to bring those people to justice? Has my right hon. Friend discussed the matter with the Department for International Development in terms of funding specialist teams?
My hon. Friend raises an extremely good point. As I mentioned to the House a few weeks ago and repeated just now, the UK has launched a campaign, working with our partners, to bring to justice the Daesh terrorists, the perpetrators of violence and crimes against humanity. As I said before, the mills of justice grind slowly but they grind small. We are assembling the evidence, supporting NGOs in the gathering of evidence and working with our partners to establish exactly what legal mechanism would be most suited to bringing those people to justice.
Alison McGovern (Wirral South) (Lab)
This statement is about Daesh, but the Foreign Secretary has quite rightly not held back his words condemning Assad's brutality to his own people. In line with the campaign by the Daily Mirror to save Aleppo, which I am sure the right hon. Gentleman supports, will he come back to this House as soon as possible with a comprehensive British-led strategy to protect civilians in Syria?
I pay tribute to the long-standing commitment that the hon. Lady has shown to this cause. I will give the undertaking that she asks for, in the sense that we are working on that the whole time. The House will have heard me explain before that some options commend themselves to people in a slightly glib way—we talk about no-fly zones or no-bomb zones—and they sound easier than they are, but as I am sure the hon. Lady will know, there are other things that we could and should be doing. We can do them only in a coalition of international partners, and, as the Prime Minister rightly said at the October European Council, no option is off the table.
Sir Oliver Letwin (West Dorset) (Con)
What is my right hon. Friend's strategy going to be if events in the United States next week are followed by the complete victory of Russia and Assad in Syria and the elimination of Daesh by those means?
With his characteristic brilliance, my right hon. Friend asks a very difficult but hypothetical question which, given that it is hypothetical, I am entitled to decline to answer. What I can say is that I believe that under any circumstances, whatever happens in the United States on Tuesday of next week, the relationship between the UK and the US is the single most important political relationship in the world and will continue to be robust.
Mr Ben Bradshaw (Exeter) (Lab)
Nevertheless, that relationship would be a lot better if President Clinton wins, as I am sure most people in this House agree. Does the Foreign Secretary see any prospect in that of then not giving up on his desire to see a more robust response to the Russians and to Assad in Aleppo?
I cannot, as I say, comment on the elections in another very friendly country. We have to wait and see what happens there, but I do not think that anybody here wants the United Kingdom under any circumstances to abandon its driving role in that question.
David T. C. Davies (Monmouth) (Con)
Does the Secretary of State agree that we have been absolutely right in this country to provide general financial support for refugee centres throughout the middle east, and that this must continue for humanitarian reasons?
My hon. Friend is completely right. We have a proud record in this country of contributing to humanitarian relief and to the care of refugees—the single biggest contributor after the United States. As the House will know, £2.3 billion is the total envelope of our commitment to humanitarian relief for the area.
Mike Gapes (Ilford South) (Lab/Co-op)
The Foreign Secretary referred to Russia's vetoes, or potential vetoes, in the Security Council. There have been five in five years, most recently on 8 October on war crimes. Given the Russian vetoes in the UN, does he believe that the Security Council is failing? Is it not time to consider using the other possible mechanism within the United Nations—the General Assembly's Uniting for Peace process? Would the British Government support that?
We are looking at that. It will not surprise the hon. Gentleman to know that the advice I have had so far is that that would almost certainly not work, but I have asked our officials to go back and see what they can do. I have studied the proposal with interest and with care. The hon. Gentleman should not get his hopes too high, but we should rule nothing out.
Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)
How likely is reform in Iraq, which is so vital to this enterprise?
My right hon. Friend asks the fundamental question. Everybody who has talked to Prime Minister Abadi or Foreign Minister al-Jaafari, as I have, will feel that they understand what they need to do. They get the scale of the problem and the credibility that they need to build with their own people. Whether they will achieve that is a matter for them. It is vital that they do not shirk their responsibility, and we will give them every possible support.
Kate Green (Stretford and Urmston) (Lab)
The Foreign Secretary will be aware of the appalling persecution suffered by Christians and other religious minorities at the hands of Daesh, and the role that those religious communities can play in helping with the relief effort and the reconstruction of Mosul and other cities after the conflict. Can the right hon. Gentleman say what he is doing to support the idea in the Iraqi Government in particular of the positive role that Christians and other minorities can play during and after the conflict?
It is vital that freedom of religious belief should be guaranteed under the Iraqi constitution and under the future Syrian constitution. That is why I made the point to the hon. Member for Ochil and South Perthshire (Ms Ahmed-Sheikh) about the pluralism of the High Negotiations Committee. That is something that we have stressed time and again to Prime Minister Abadi and it is very much part of his manifesto and his plans for the country.
Alistair Burt (North East Bedfordshire) (Con)
In relation to bringing people to justice, may I commend the work of the International Commission on Missing Persons which, by its work in identifying bodies, was responsible for a number of war criminals from Bosnia being brought to justice at The Hague? The ICMP, of which I am the UK's international commissioner, is seeking support from sponsoring Governments to continue its work in Iraq and Syria. May I assure my friends in the commission and its excellent director, Kathryne Bomberger, that the United Kingdom will remain first among equals among Governments supporting its work?
I thank my right hon. Friend for his excellent work in tracking down missing persons. I can assure him that both he and his organisation will continue to receive the full support of the Foreign Office and of Her Majesty's Government.
Can the Foreign Secretary reassure the House that in the town of Tal Afar to the west of Mosul, which Shi'a militias are moving into, there will be no risk of sectarian violence, which would clearly set back any prospect of reconciliation and reconstruction in Iraq?
The right hon. Gentleman will know that Tal Afar is a town with a very complex religious and ethnic mix. I wish I could give him the full assurance that he seeks, but that would be premature. We are doing everything in our power, with the training operations that we have conducted and the support that we have given, to make sure that sectarian reprisals do not happen in Tal Afar or anywhere in the recaptured territories of Iraq.
Dr Andrew Murrison (South West Wiltshire) (Con)
The Foreign Secretary spoke about the training of soldiers and vetted forces, and the hon. Member for Islington South and Finsbury (Emily Thornberry) explained why that was necessary. Will my right hon. Friend confirm that that training will take place in theatre and not in the UK, as we would not want to repeat the mistakes of 2014 in respect of Libyan forces in Bassingbourn barracks in Cambridgeshire?
My hon. Friend will know that some of the training programmes over the past few years have not been entirely successful. As we step up our training efforts again and get on with vetting and security screening new candidates, that will be done outside theatre and outside Syria in order to get the best possible results.
Brendan O'Hara (Argyll and Bute) (SNP)
Today I have written to the Prime Minister asking her to pay specific attention to the plight of the estimated 2,000 Yazidi women and children who are still held in sexual slavery in Mosul, and who, once released from the evils of Daesh, will need specialist care. Will the Foreign Secretary encourage the Prime Minister and Cabinet colleagues to look at the great work being done by the Baden-Württemberg Government in Germany, who have a programme of specialist psychological care and emotional support for these victims of unimaginable horror, with a view to the United Kingdom following suit?
I think that the number of female Yazidi captives has been put even higher than the hon. Gentleman indicates—I have seen a figure of 3,500. Clearly their needs will be very important as Mosul is recaptured. As he will know, the UK Government attach particular importance to looking after the victims of sexual violence in conflict.
Mrs Anne-Marie Trevelyan (Berwick-upon-Tweed) (Con)
Will the Foreign Secretary join me in paying tribute not only to our service personnel but to each and every one of our military families, the spouses and children, who are silently and resiliently supporting our service personnel?
My hon. Friend makes an excellent point that I know the whole House will want to echo. The families of our servicemen and women face hardship, anxiety and, of course, terrible personal risk.
Robert Jenrick (Newark) (Con)
What a splendid troika. Tom Tugendhat.
Would my right hon. Friend care to mention whether he feels that the inaction of the west over the crimes being committed in Aleppo has empowered the Russians, should they get the opportunity in coming weeks, to seek further territorial expansion?
My hon. Friend, who is a student of military history, will probably agree that a critical moment for this House, and indeed for the west, came in 2013 when we could have taken another path. The military space was effectively filled 18 months ago by the Russians, and indeed by Daesh, and we are now living with the consequences of that failure.
What are the most hopeful examples of harmonious relations between Sunni and Shi'a that the Foreign Secretary could point to that could best be spread across the middle east?
My hon. Friend asks a very good question. It goes to the heart of the crisis across the middle east. Everywhere we look, we see people failing to move off their sectarian base and reach out to the opposite community. There is a tragic failure of leadership across the whole region. That is the core of the problem. It requires people to have the imagination, the generosity and the courage to see that they have to be bigger and that they have to reach out to the opposite faction. I very much hope that Prime Minister Abadi and the Iraqi Government are indeed made of such stuff, and I see signs of hope in the co-operation in that Government between Sunni and Shi'a. That is what we have to build on in that area.
Presumably when Mosul falls the conflict could go into a new and equally dangerous phase in which Daesh fighters melt into the civilian population and become an insurgency. What support, in terms of retraining and re-equipping, are the Government offering the Iraqi security forces as they start becoming a counter-insurgency force?
Again, that is an extremely apposite question, because that is what some members of Daesh are already doing: they are acquiring razors, shaving off their beards and trying to melt back into the community. We must understand that this will be a long struggle for hearts and minds and for changing their mindset, but the UK is in there for the long haul; we are going to stay the course.
I am most grateful to the Foreign Secretary and to colleagues. In the presence of the Foreign Secretary, I should advise him that in his absence in the Robing Room on Tuesday afternoon, the Colombian President acknowledged in the most approving terms his book on Churchill. I trust that, as a result of that, the right hon. Gentleman will go about his business for the remainder of the day, as he should, with an additional glint in his eye and spring in his step.


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Hockey nuts will love what this article has to offer. At KwikRink we have serviced several private residences with their own home ice advantage. Generally, the client installs a home rink for their kids (or themselves) to have fun and train for hockey. Others will dedicate an area in the house for shooting pucks in between periods of the game. Some do it, simply because they can, and they love hockey. Below are 10 ideas for your dream home rink. "If you build it, they will come" rings true. You wont be able to get the kids off of this (or their teammates), so I would recommend investing in convenient feeding strategies like the pizza oven offers. The best perk for parents is that the home rink acts as a babysitter, so mom can get a little more of that "me" time she deserves. Some supervision may be required for when the games get a little heated. We have yet to hear of any bench clearing brawls, however.
This Indoor Basement rink is actually a level lower than the rest of the basement. It features a plexiglass protected overlook viewing area equipped with a ledge, and bar stools for the parents. How about some ice cold beverages and hockey?
This hockey family put a home rink in an added on pole barn. Roughly 50′ x 25′ area allows some fun and fast paced games. The high ceiling is an ideal setup for flying pucks!
This 32′ x 16′ back yard rink is one of our favorites. There is nothing like skating in the middle of July surrounded by woods, is there? I can envision some backyard hockey tournaments complete with a family BBQ. Maybe even some fireworks, as the teams enter!
If you have one garage stall to spare, this 18′ x 10′ size area could become a nice little home rink for you. This rink has enough size to improve stick-handling, shooting, and skating agility. Check out our blog on small area games if you aren't buying it.
An under garage space with odd dimensions, and cut outs, turns into a game-ready indoor rink. This one has an off camera penalty box, and mom is the referee.
Ignore last nights rain on this one. Let's just say the Zamboni driver had a few too many, and didn't resurface properly. This 40′ x 20′ outdoor rink with markings and boards is really something to admire.
Another 18′ x 10′ size rink with a view from the locker room, fully equipped with rubber matting for changing into skates. This rink offers a crisp and clean look, completed by the NHL style dasher board system.
How about a playroom that the kids will never grow out of? This family dedicated a portion of their home for this, roughly, 34′ x 13′ size rink. I would look for these kids in the 2030 NHL draft.
Building a home rink is all about getting creative and having fun with it. This rink was certainly fun to install. A really nice sized 20′ x 13′ rink equipped with a shooting tarp, and NHL player Fatheads, bringing this one to life. What team do you root for?
Okay, so this actually isn't beside a real castle, but it sure looks like one, and provides a really cool home rink. Beware of flying pucks above to the king and queen of this castle.
The above pictures just show some of the ideas out there that have been done. These home rinks certainly require some dedication, and most likely some passion for the game of hockey. Having a home rink allows unlimited ice time and fun. If you get creative enough, you can probably do something like this at your home, and the hockey players of the house will surely be happy. The first step is to find an available space around the home, and then send in an inquiry for a quote, and free design ideas. KwikRink are the experts in the synthetic ice industry, and have been designing layouts for home rinks and training centers around the world for the last 20 years.
KwikRink synthetic ice has been an extremely popular tool for goalie training at all levels. Professional and amateur goaltenders regularly use KwikRink to supplement their on ice training. The surface allows goalies to practice slides, and all the skills that they would on real ice at a fraction of the cost. Many goaltenders will install KwikRink synthetic ice in their own home to create an unparalleled home ice advantage when it comes to training.
KwikRink is featured in many goalie training camps around the country. MEGA Goaltending, a Minnesota based goalie training camp, has used KwikRink as part of their training regimen for several years. MEGA consists of highly experienced staff members working with a small group of goalies to offer a truly in depth goalie training experience. A synthetic ice area with two creases was recently installed at Elk River Ice Arena to add to their arsenal of training tools.
The first synthetic ice crease was created by KwikRink in the late 90's. Many residential clients will install their own goalie school inside their homes. The ideal setup has a permanent inset goalie crease, providing positional guidance, and has the depth and width to work on shots at all angles. An ideal goalie area would be something like 16 feet wide by 24 feet long. This would allow the goalie to work on common angles, as well as, taking screened shots. Many of these clients do not have this kinda of space in their home to dedicate to hockey training. You can still get a lot out of a goalie area with limited space. The minimum area would be 10-12 feet wide by about 16 feet long. This would still provide room to practice slides, and work at head on shots. When it comes to training, nothing compares to getting in your skates and doing the work.


text:
Q: Angular material io predefined theme color How do I access the color variables ( $primary, $accent, $warn, $foreground, $background) in scss file from a predefined  angular theme @angular/material/prebuilt-themes/deeppurple-amber.css'?

A: Once a sass file has been compiled to css, there is no more notion of variable inside that css file, so you won't be able to retrieve variables like $primary from deeppurple-amber.css.
If you look at the scss source file for the deeppurple-amber theme, you can find the definition for $primary and other variables
$primary: mat-palette($mat-deep-purple);
$accent:  mat-palette($mat-amber, A200, A100, A400);

The mat-palette function and the base palette colors are  available in your project from '~@angular/material/theming';
So to retrieve the palettes and colours, you can create try this:
Step #1 Create a file mat-vars.scss file
mat-vars.scss
@import '~@angular/material/theming';
//And then retrieve the palette

$myPrimaryPaletteVariable : mat-palette($mat-deep-purple);
$myAccentPaletteVariable : mat-palette($mat-amber, A200, A100, A400);

//Retrive the colors you need
$myPrimaryColor : mat-color($myPrimaryPaletteVariable);

Step #2 In your components scss files, just import that new file and use the variables
component.scss
@import '../../mat-vars';//ensure path is correct
.myText
{
    color: $myPrimaryColor;
}

A: create _variable.scss
// Import material theming functions
@import '~@angular/material/theming';

// Create your Sass color vars
$primary: mat-color($app-primary);
$accent: mat-color($app-accent);
$warn: mat-color($app-warn);

Import _variables.scss to the component's sass file where you want to use it.
@import "~_variables.scss";
.selected {
  background-color: $accent;
}

Don't forget to include the theme.scss in the .angular-cli.json file:
{
...
  "apps": [{
  ...
  "styles": ["_variables.scss"]
  }]
  ...
}

if u still didn't get please go through this link
https://medium.com/@aleixsuau/how-to-use-angular-material-2-sass-variables-in-your-components-76ce0203f126

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


A former Middle Georgia Sheriff has received the maximum sentence after being convicted for buying votes.
Former Dodge County Sheriff Lawton Douglas and two others were accused in the case. Douglas was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for buying votes using cash, liquor and drugs. In some instances he purchased absentee ballots, and filled them out himself.
The tight runoff election took place in 2004. Douglas won by just 400 votes. Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp says proving vote buying can be frustrating.
Kemp says they are looking into the 2008 Dodge County Sheriff's election as well. The county has a history of voter fraud. In the 1990's it was the site of the largest voter fraud case in U.S. history.


text:
Fidelity Acquires 10% Stake in Bitcoin Mining Firm Hut 8
The giant fund manager Fidelity International holds roughly 10.6% stake in the bitcoin mining company Hut 8. For six years now, Fidelity, the firm that currently manages $8 trillion on behalf of its customers, has been mining the cryptocurrency bitcoin.
In May 2017, news.Bitcoin.com reported on Fidelity integrating with Coinbase, mining bitcoin, and even accepting the digital asset at the firm's cafeteria at its headquarters. Fidelity has been mining bitcoin since 2014, and over the years the firm has increased its stake in this growing industry.
On June 10, a newly filed alternative monthly reporting (AMR) disclosure with the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) shows that Fidelity owns around 10.6% stake in the mining firm Hut 8.
Just recently Hut 8 Mining Corp., raised $8.3 million by selling shares to investors and it intends to add 275 PH/s of mining capacity to existing operations. The regulatory filing with the OSC shows that Fidelity International holds a great number of Hut 8 shares.
"Fidelity holds 8,396,138 Common Shares and 2,054,956 common share purchase warrants, as a result of which Fidelity is deemed to hold 10,451,094 Common Shares representing approximately 10.58% of the outstanding shares of that class," the Hut 8 AMR reads.
A look at the share composition indicates that Fidelity keeps a number of common shares and also has the ability to gather more shares in the future.
Of course, Fidelity discloses that "funds and accounts managed by Fidelity that hold the securities referenced herein may, from time-to-time, lend some or all of such securities pursuant to securities lending arrangements for such periods of time."
"The Common Shares and warrants of Hut 8 Mining Corp. were acquired in the ordinary course of business, for investment purposes only and not with the purpose of exercising control or direction over Hut 8 Mining Corp," the ARM notes.
The ARM was invoked after Hut 8 raised the $8.3 million by selling shares to investors during the underwritten public offering. In order to add 275 PH/s of mining capacity, Hut 8 detailed that it plans to purchase Whatsminer series mining rigs (M30S, M31S, M31S+) from the Chinese manufacturer Microbt.
Hut 8 initiated its mining operations in 2017 and in the spring of 2018, it was listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Bitcoin proponents on social media and digital currency-focused forums seemed pleased with Fidelity increasing stake in Hut 8 mining. One person tweeted that with the Bitcoin mining difficulty at a record high, "Fidelity bets big on Bitcoin mining."
During the early morning trading sessions, the HUTMF stock charts on Trading View had shown the price was hovering at $0.82 apiece, but since the Fidelity announcement, it has risen to $0.8758.
What do you think about Fidelity betting big on bitcoin mining? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below.
10% Stake, 275 PH/s, alternative monthly reporting, Bitcoin mining, BTC, Common Shares, Cryptocurrency, fidelity, Fidelity International, Hut 8, Hut 8 Shares, Microbt, Mining Bitcoins, mining capacity, Ontario, OSC, Toronto Stock Exchange, Whatsminers
REGULATION | 1 hour ago
A Reddit user says he (or she) recently regained access to the keys of 127 bitcoins eight years after last accessing the coins. Immediately after regaining access, the user sold all the bitcoins and pocketed over $4 million in the ... read more.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


In El Salvador, 0.6% of people are living with AIDS/HIV. In Belize, that number is 1.9% of people.
In El Salvador, the average life expectancy is 75 years (72 years for men, 78 years for women). In Belize, that number is 69 years (67 years for men, 71 years for women).
In El Salvador, 7.0% of adults are unemployed. In Belize, that number is 10.1%.
In El Salvador, 32.7% live below the poverty line. In Belize, however, that number is 41.0%.
In El Salvador, approximately 54.0 women per 1,000 births die during labor. In Belize, 28.0 women do.
In El Salvador, there are approximately 16.2 babies per 1,000 people. In Belize, there are 24.0 babies per 1,000 people.
In El Salvador, approximately 16.8 children die before they reach the age of one. In Belize, on the other hand, 18.9 children do.
In El Salvador, approximately 29.0% of the population has internet access. In Belize, about 44.6% do.
El Salvador spends 6.8% of its total GDP on healthcare. In Belize, that number is 5.8% of GDP.
El Salvador spends 3.5% of its total GDP on education. Belize spends 7.4% of total GDP on education.
El Salvador has a total of 307 km of coastline. In Belize, that number is 386 km.
Belize is a sovereign country in Central America/Caribbean, with a total land area of approximately 22,806 sq km. Belize was the site of several Mayan city states until their decline at the end of the first millennium A.D. The British and Spanish disputed the region in the 17th and 18th centuries; it formally became the colony of British Honduras in 1854. Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the independence of Belize until 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992 and the two countries are involved in an ongoing border dispute. Tourism has become the mainstay of the economy. Current concerns include the country's heavy foreign debt burden, high unemployment, growing involvement in the Mexican and South American drug trade, high crime rates, and one of the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rates in Central America.
How big is Belize compared to El Salvador? See an in-depth size comparison.
Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Belize. It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.


Many people wait as long as possible to withdraw funds from tax-deferred retirement plans such as IRAs and 401(k)s in order to give their investments more time to grow. But the IRS won't let you postpone the income taxes indefinitely. Once you reach age 70½, you generally must begin taking required minimum distributions (RMDs) from these accounts each year, whether you need the money or not, or face a penalty equal to 50% of the required amount that was not withdrawn.
Annual RMD amounts are based on your account balances (as of December 31 of the previous year), your age in the current tax year, and your life expectancy as defined in IRS tables. To calculate your RMDs, simply divide the value of each retirement account balance by the distribution period in the IRS life expectancy table.
Required minimum distributions must start for the year in which you turn 70½, but you have a one-time opportunity to wait until April 1 (not April 15) of the following year to take your first distribution (however, doing so requires taking two distributions in one year). For example, if your 70th birthday was in October 2017, you will turn 70½ in April 2018 and must take an RMD for 2018 no later than April 1, 2019. You must take your 2019 distribution by December 31, 2019.
Be aware that your RMD for the year must be taken before any account rollover (or a Roth conversion) can be made. Otherwise, the rolled-over RMD amount could be considered an excess contribution, which is subject to a 6% penalty for each year it remains in the account.
If you continue working into your 70s, you can wait to take RMDs from your current employer's 401(k) plan until after you retire, but you still must take RMDs from other tax-deferred accounts (except Roth IRAs).
Toward the beginning of the year, retirement plan administrators typically send a notice about the amount of any RMD due by year-end. Still, it's important to understand which RMDs can be combined and which accounts must distribute separate RMDs.
Traditional, SEP, and SIMPLE IRAs. One of the benefits of IRAs is that RMDs for multiple accounts can be aggregated. Each RMD must be calculated separately but can be taken from any IRA owned by the same person. Let's say you have two IRAs, and your RMDs are $10,000 and $8,000, respectively. You can take whatever amount you want from one or both accounts as long as your withdrawals add up to $18,000 (or more).
Employer plans. 403(b) accounts follow rules similar to IRAs: RMDs must be calculated separately, but can be taken (in whole or in part) from any of your 403(b) accounts.
RMDs from 401(k) and 457(b) accounts cannot be aggregated. RMDs must be calculated for each individual plan and taken only from that plan.
Also, RMDs for one type of account can never be taken from a different type of account. For example, a 401(k) RMD cannot be taken from an IRA. Plus, RMDs from different account owners may never be aggregated, so one spouse's RMD cannot be taken from the other spouse's account, even if the couple files a joint tax return.
If you have multiple tax-deferred accounts, coordinating RMDs could be quite complicated. Before you take any specific action, be sure to consult with your tax professional.
Distributions from traditional IRAs and most employer-sponsored retirement plans are taxed as ordinary income. Withdrawals taken prior to age 59½ may be subject to a 10% federal income tax penalty, with certain exceptions as outlined by the IRS.
If you'd like to take a different approach to investment planning and management, you can meet with one of our CFS* financial advisors. We will review your finances at not cost or obligation, explain your investment options, and help you find the right products for your needs. For your complimentary consultation, please schedule an appointment with a CFS* Financial Advisor at Consumers Credit Union by calling Micki at 269.488.1776. The investment services team can provide strategies to help fit your ever-changing needs.
This information is not intended as tax, legal, investment, or retirement advice or recommendations, and it may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. You are encouraged to seek advice from an independent professional advisor. The content is derived from sources believed to be accurate. Neither the information presented nor any opinion expressed constitutes a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. This material was written and prepared by Broadridge Advisor Solutions. © 2017 Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc.


text:
Q: Unity www "aborted" error I have the following error
when I try to download a mp4 file with unity www class it failed with only "aborted" error message in www.error
its a weird error, it only appear on some devices, I have tried it on galaxy note 5 and works well, and when some one have tried it on a galaxy s7, he get that error
any one mybe know what is hapening?
Thanks for your help guys.
the code to download the video
private IEnumerator DownloadVideo()
{
    showDownloadProgress = true;
    downloadProgress.gameObject.SetActive(true);

    videoURL = MainPlayerCTRL.mediaURL;
    Uri uri = new Uri(videoURL);
    string filename = System.IO.Path.GetFileName(uri.LocalPath);
    string localFilePath = Application.persistentDataPath + "/"+ filename;
    bool tryVideoDownload = true;

    if (!File.Exists(localFilePath))
    {
        while (tryVideoDownload)
        {
            downloadProgressText.text = "Downloading";
            showDownloadProgress = true;
            downloadProgress.gameObject.SetActive(true);

            www = new WWW(videoURL);
            yield return www;
            if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(www.error))
            {
                byte[] bytes = www.bytes;
                FileStream fs = new FileStream(localFilePath, FileMode.Create);
                fs.Write(bytes, 0, bytes.Length);
                downloadProgressText.text = "Download done!";
                yield return new WaitForSeconds(2);
                tryVideoDownload = false;
            }//Video downloaded
            else
            {
                showDownloadProgress = false;
                downloadProgress.gameObject.SetActive(true);
                downloadProgressText.text = "Download ERROR \n ";
                downloadProgressText.text += www.error;
                yield return new WaitForSeconds(2);
                downloadProgressText.text = "Attempting to download again";
                yield return new WaitForSeconds(2);
                tryVideoDownload = true;
            }
        }

        yield return new WaitForEndOfFrame();
    }

}

A: The first thing I suspected was low memory that usually happen when copying large file with FileStream but you mentioned that you got "aborted" error from www.error. The culprit is likely WWW and the first thing to do is to use UnityWebRequest. I replaced WWW in your function with UnityWebRequest.
You will need to include using UnityEngine.Networking; at the top in order to use this. Another thing is that yield return new WaitForEndOfFrame(); is supposed to be inside the while loop not outside it and using yield return null; is better.
private IEnumerator DownloadVideo()
{
    showDownloadProgress = true;
    downloadProgress.gameObject.SetActive(true);

    videoURL = MainPlayerCTRL.mediaURL;
    Uri uri = new Uri(videoURL);
    string filename = System.IO.Path.GetFileName(uri.LocalPath);
    string localFilePath = Application.persistentDataPath + "/" + filename;
    bool tryVideoDownload = true;

    if (!File.Exists(localFilePath))
    {
        while (tryVideoDownload)
        {
            downloadProgressText.text = "Downloading";
            showDownloadProgress = true;
            downloadProgress.gameObject.SetActive(true);

            UnityWebRequest www = UnityWebRequest.Get(videoURL);
            yield return www.Send();

            if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(www.error))
            {
                byte[] bytes = www.downloadHandler.data;
                FileStream fs = new FileStream(localFilePath, FileMode.Create);
                fs.Write(bytes, 0, bytes.Length);
                downloadProgressText.text = "Download done!";
                yield return new WaitForSeconds(2);
                tryVideoDownload = false;
            }//Video downloaded
            else
            {
                showDownloadProgress = false;
                downloadProgress.gameObject.SetActive(true);
                downloadProgressText.text = "Download ERROR \n ";
                downloadProgressText.text += www.error;
                yield return new WaitForSeconds(2);
                downloadProgressText.text = "Attempting to download again";
                yield return new WaitForSeconds(2);
                tryVideoDownload = true;
            }

            yield return null;
        }
    }
}


In collaboration with the Volunteer Center of the Lehigh Valley, City Center Investment Corp. allowed 26 local nonprofits to take furniture and furnishings for use in their organizations from the former hotel City Center Investment Corp owns.
More than 400 items ranging from beds, desks, chairs, lamps and tables were requested through the Volunteer Center to be picked up on selected dates. Nonprofits came with volunteers and rented vehicles to pick up the items, which will now be used to enhance their nonprofit organizations and the populations they serve. Many of these organizations provide shelter and relocation services for homeless and in-bound families of the hurricane in Puerto Rico.
The total value of these items exceeds $75,000 and is priceless to the organizations that will put the furniture and fixtures to good use.
The Volunteer Center provides ongoing opportunities to work with organizations like City Center that are looking to dispose of office furniture, office supplies and other goods through their program Donation Connection. Annually the Volunteer Center posts approximately 100 items that can be claimed by nonprofits for their use. Organizations looking to dispose of office furniture and supplies can reach out to them directly.
"The Volunteer Center serves as a nonprofit capacity builder providing access to volunteers, training and resources that can be beneficial to their organization and the constituents they serve. Working with City Center has been a great pleasure and such a satisfying opportunity to have so many nonprofits receiving the items that benefit their services. It has truly been a great gift to the community," said Karen Smith, CEO of the Volunteer Center.


text:
Seaweek shows kids they can make a difference
Ocean the recovered penguin, shortly after finishing her moult, at Napier Port's penguin sanctuary.
The story of a young kororā/little penguin's rescue has provided great inspiration for this year's Seaweek roadshow in Hawke's Bay.
Every year the National Aquarium of New Zealand education team put together a free, interactive, thought-provoking 30-minute show for children, highlighting important messages about conservation and the roles they can play in helping the natural environment.
The penguin, named Ocean, was found by a member of the public at Ocean Beach last year, injured and dehydrated. National Aquarium staff worked with Wildbase Hospital at Massey University, Palmerston North, and Napier Port.
Once she had recovered from surgery and completed her annual moult, she was transferred to a nesting box at the Port's sanctuary to allow her to rest as much as she wanted and return to the wild when she was ready.
It has been a wonderful collaboration between organisations intent on doing what they can for nature, says Seaweek regional coordinator, National Aquarium Education Manager Amy Stevens.
Ocean was almost certainly attacked by a land animal, and by sharing her story it makes people think about the reasons why dogs should be on leashes in certain places, or why it's a good idea for cat owners to keep their felines indoors at night.
The team also touches on the effect of pollution and plastics, and they know that the children are highly likely to share what they have learned with their families.
"Children are the key to change. It's important for them to understand the effect we as humans are having, and that they can have an impact. Ocean's story shows that you only need one person to make a difference, and anyone can make a difference."
The National Aquarium is an official supporter of Seaweek, New Zealand's national, annual celebration of the sea.
There are still some spaces available for the National Aquarium roadshow, running 3-11 March. To register, email education@nationalaquarium.co.nz
The theme for 2021 is Toi Moana, Tio Tangata – Connecting with our Seas, and Hawke's Bay's line-up of events provide plenty of opportunities to do. They include:
What's my Waka?
CAN Seaweek Driftwood Sculpture competition & exhibition, entries ($5 each) close 4 March, exhibition 5-18 March, Creative Arts Napier, Byron St.
Make your own miniature waka from driftwood and/or found materials. Awesome prizes available. All entries will be displayed, open to all ages, entry forms available from thecan.co.nz/CAN front desk. Winner(s) announced 19 March.
Nature's Little Explorers
10.30-11.30am Mondays & Wednesdays during term time, starting 8 March, Oceanarium main hall, National Aquarium of NZ
Ocean themed activities, nature play, stories & crafts just for little ones aged 3-5 launch this Seaweek. They will learn about wetlands, coral reefs, Antarctica, all sorts of animals reptiles & sealife.
Cost – part of general admission/free for Friends of Aquarium members.
Movie doco & BYOB (bring your own beanbag) night
5.30-8pm 8 March, National Aquarium. Napier Youth Council event.
Bring your beanbag & your mates from school. Featuring 2040, by award-winning director Damon Gameau, exploring what the future would look like if we embraced the best solutions already available to us to improve our planet and shifted them into the mainstream. Must be 14+ years to attend or bring a parent/guardian with you.
Free entry, gold coin donation for popcorn, soft drinks available to purchase.
Dive into Books
11-11.45am 9 March, Taradale Library. Napier Libraries event.
Be immersed in an ocean themed story time, including enthralling stories, amazing facts & a chance to look at some natural history artefacts.
Sea Skills & Boating Safety
10am-1pm 13 March, Meeanee Quay & Pandora Pond. A Coastguard, Napier Sea Scouts & HB Canoe Club event.
Citizen scientists wanted! Get involved in this project to help monitor NZ's marine environment. Pick up your 'how to' guide & other essential equipment from your nearest library.
View the full list of events.


It's not that hard to find the appropriate hilary duff ring provided that you have the proper place to find your best references for the marriage ring. If you look for the marriage ring style with sophisticated design, this option certainly is the style that you can find today. This wedding band will look spectacular on the wedding day. The beauty of the hilary duff ring will be ideal for the bride.
You may also discover another choice in a different combination of wedding band substance which will search perfect with flower silver on the internal part of the wedding ring. This option of wedding ring will look lovely using its silvery feel and rose gold inside. You'll find it in the hilary duff ring. This is actually the wedding ring which is perfect for individuals who locate a various strategy in a marriage ring. Furthermore, you may also discover more types available those types of choices of a wedding ring. Because the wedding band is likely to be selected just once, you'll need to think about your choice really carefully.
One important thing that you'll require to prepare for the wedding is your ring. This is the most crucial part of one's wedding that you mustn't forget. You may find that there are many possibilities of style designed for this type of ring. Those types of choices of the ring that you can find today, that hilary duff ring is the possibility that needs to be really special as you is only going to select after in your lifetime.
There are however more options for a lovely hilary duff ring. These choices over are just a few of additional options that you can find those types of wedding ring designs accessible today. Each of them may offer you the most effective design which will match you. This is one way you may get the best design of wedding that will look gorgeous at your wedding.
For this reason you should choose the very best hilary duff ring that you will find today. This is what you would generally discover those types of choices of a wedding ring. You will not find it is straightforward to obtain the most effective design of wedding band with the proper design since every pair will have their very own preference.
Besides the marriage ring for the bride, you'll need to get these alternatives of wedding ring for men. Since men is likely to be very different to women for their style and choice, there are many possibilities of style that is organized to meet the necessity of every man. For instance, men can select the look of the marriage ring to become more masculine. This is actually the choice of the best that may give you the simple and more strong design.
Each wedding band for guys and women are dissimilar to each other. For this reason you need to pick one of them with the best style for sometimes the bride or the groom. You will have different models that you'll find for every man and female band for the wedding. Each while each of them is ready to supply you with the design that'll search stunning, you need to make it really match your finger and will suit you perfectly to show you that you've an attachment with your lover. For this reason you should consider those choices of hilary duff ring that you'll find via on the web for more choices of wedding band to choose. Some of these possibilities of wedding band could be only found at a nearby jewelry keep, but you are able to still find more options from those stores that you could reach via on line as they are in the other country.


text:
Q: PHP function GETIMAGESIZE timeout in 60 seconds to check remote files I'm using getimagesize to check if an image exists or not.
The image is in a remote URL, so i check a link.
If the image exists, the response is given in less then 2 seconds.
If the image doesn't exists e also there is no link of image error, the response is given in less then 2 seconds.
The problem is when the image doesn't exists and there is a link saying (image not found) or something like that.... the getimagesize keeps trying to locate the image for exactly 60 seconds ( i checked with php microtime ).
Other methods also happens the same thing, takes 60 seconds for response... i've tryed with curl, with file_get_contens, get_headers, imagecreatefromjpeg.... all of them take 60 seconds to return false.
Any idea how to reduce that time?

A: Try to use this function with CURLOPT_TIMEOUT:
function checkRemoteFile($url)
{
  $timeout = 5; //timeout seconds

  $ch = curl_init();
  curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_URL, $url);
  // don't download content
  curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_NOBODY, 1);
  curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_FAILONERROR, 1);
  curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, 1);
  curl_setopt ($ch, CURLOPT_TIMEOUT, $timeout);

  return (curl_exec($ch)!==FALSE);
}

$image = "/img/image.jpg";

if ( checkRemoteFile($image) )
{
  $info = getimagesize($image);
  print_r($info); //Print image info
  list($width, $height, $type, $attr) = $info; //Store image info
}
else
  echo "Timeout";

You can also use CURLOPT_CONNECTTIMEOUT that is a little different.
Hope it can be helpful. :)


San Felipe in Baja California Mexico is a safe and friendly port on the Sea of Cortez. Contact us to arrange a visit!
We are members of the Baja Ca. State Board of Realtors.
When you want a licensed realtor, contact us!
San Felipe is curently in a "Buyer's Market". The road from Mexicali is finished, now we will see more growth coming to our "Little Village". We are looking forward to economic growth for our community. San Felipe has a plan to keep our "small town" feeling while welcoming growth.
This is a great time to buy property in the San Felipe area.
Comfortable and cozy. This is a great Winter resort home or your full time Baja home. You will enjoy this home for many years to come!!
Patty Bell is a licensed Realtor in Baja California, Mexico. Proper proceedures are very important to my Real Estate business.
Patty Bell is the back bone of Baja 24/7. Patty Bell keeps the office running and is always working to keep Baja 24/7 at the top of the San Felipe real estate market.
If you have any questions regarding the real estate market in the San Felipe area, Patty Bell is a wealth of unbiased imformation.
Baja 24/7 is authorized to sell in all parts of the San Felipe market. Let me help you today.
You can pan out all the way to the border crossings.
See how easy it is to cross the border in Calexico and drive south through Mexicali. Just stay in the middle or right lanes and do not take any right or left turns. Go "south" through each traffic circle.


text:
How Much Money Do Paratroopers Make?
Computer Services Jobs
By Denise Dayton Updated February 19, 2019
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Paratroopers are an elite group of soldiers who've completed specialty training. Their pay depends on military rank and time in service. Airborne Army pay can range from $2233.50 a month ($26,802) for a junior enlisted soldier with three years of service to $10,563.30 a month ($126,759.60 annually) or more for a senior officer who has served at least 20 years.
A paratrooper is a service member in the U.S. Army, who has undergone training to use a parachute in combat deployment. They bring in equipment and supplies needed for any mission.They also assist in case of natural disasters, such as the search-and-rescue missions performed in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
To become a paratrooper, you must successfully complete the U.S. Army's Basic Airborne Course (BAC). Your military occupational specialty (MOS) does not matter; soldiers perform a wide variety of jobs before airborne training. Eligibility requirements for the course, which is voluntary, include the following:
Have a status as a commissioned officer, warrant officer, noncommissioned officer, enlisted soldier or qualified cadet.
Be less than 36 years of age by the starting date of the course.
Have a passing score on the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) using the 17 to 21 year old scale as a standard.
Have completed Cadet Basic Training if a U.S. Military Academy cadet.
Have a status as contracted or on scholarship if a Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadet.
Have completed basic combat training, or equivalent, if an enlisted soldier.
Three-Week Basic Airborne Course
An intensive 3-week training course prepares soldiers to become paratroopers. The course is divided as follows:
Week One is called Ground Week. Soldiers learn foundational skills that prepare them to jump with a parachute and land safely. They must pass the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) during the week to continue training.
Week Two is called Tower Week. Soldiers continue to build skills as they jump from a 250-foot jump tower. They must qualify on Swing Ladder Training (SWT) and mass exit procedures.
Week Three is called Jump Week. Soldiers must successfully complete 5 jumps from a C-130 or C-17 aircraft. By completing Week Three, soldiers add an additional identifier to their skill profiles. They have earned the right to wear the Silver Wing on their uniforms.
U.S. Air Force Pararescue
Highly trained members of Air Force Special Operations serve as pararescue (PJ) specialists. They recovered downed aircrews from hostile or unreachable environments. They perform emergency medical treatment when necessary. There are many more qualifications beyond what is needed to become an Army paratrooper.
Qualifications to train as a PJ specialist include the following:
Having successfully completed the physical fitness and stamina test.
Having attained an acceptable score on the Tailored Adaptive Personality Assessment System.
Having the physical qualifications for aircrew, parachute and marine-diving duty.
Having normal color vision and depth perception.
Having the qualifications as a military parachutist and as a military SCUBA diver.
Having certification from the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.
Having completed the background checks.
Having completed Basic Military Training plus Airmen's Week.
Being between the ages of 17 and 39.
If you're not in the military and you're interested in become an Army paratrooper or Air Force PJ specialist, visit your local recruiting office to learn the steps you'll need to take. If you're a cadet or on active or reserve duty, your military career advisor can help you get the information you need to get started.
Paratroopers need physical and mental stamina for work under highly stressful conditions. They are subject to harsh physical environments and combat hostilities. Even if they're not deployed, paratroopers must make at least four jumps per year to maintain their airborne status and to receive airborne pay.
Salary and Job Outlook
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) tracks data and makes projections only for civilian jobs. The number of paratroopers needed at any given time depends on the needs of the military as a whole. During a strong economy, fewer people tend to join the military, meaning that you might face less competition for admission to the Basic Airborne Course. The world political situation affects how many soldiers, including paratroopers, are needed.
Paratroopers, like any military service member, are paid according to rank (pay grade) and years of service. On top of base salary, soldiers receive airborne pay, sometimes referred to as military jump pay (about $150 per month). In addition, airborne Army pay includes full medical, dental and vision benefits, and a housing allowance based on the cost of living in the geographic area where service members are stationed. Depending on deployment, they may earn combat or hazardous duty pay as well.
Enlisted personnel are classified by pay grades E-1 through E-9. Warrant officers as classified W-1 through W-4. Officers are classified as O-1 through O-10. Below are some examples of monthly base salaries, based on pay grade and years of service, from the 2019 Defense Finance and Accounting Service Pay Table:
Officers:
O-1 (Second Lieutenant): $3188.40 with less than two years of service.
O-2 (First Lieutenant): $4981.20 with 4 years of service.
O-3 (Captain): $6434.40 with 10 years of service.
Warrant Officers:
W-1 (Warrant Officer): $3116.40 with less than two years of service.
W-4 (Chief Warrant Officer): $7089.30 with 20 years of service.
Enlisted Personnel:
E-4 (Corporal or Specialist): $2431.80 with four years of service.
E-6 (Staff Sergeant): $3874.80 with 12 years of service.
E-8 (Master Sergeant/First Sergeant): $5232.30 with 18 years of service.
The 82nd Airborne Division
Perhaps the best-known group of paratroopers are members of the 82nd Airborne Division, based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The 82nd is considered the primary fighting arm of the XVIII Airborne Corps (also headquartered at Fort Bragg). The Division was made famous by its heroic actions during World War II, depicted in the 1963 Academy Award-winning film The Longest Day, staring John Wayne and Sean Connery. The Division continues its mission today, ready to be deployed anywhere in the world.
When the original unit was organized in 1917, members came from every state in the union (there were 48 at the time). The unit was thus nicknamed "All American." A patch was designed with "AA" on it; this patch is still worn today by members of the 82nd.
Here are some things you might not know about the paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division:
Nearly 10,000 training jumps are conducted each month.
The paratroopers are part of the most populated U.S. military installation. Fort Bragg is home to 57,000 service members and 11,000 civilian employees.
Country singer Craig Morgan served as a reservist with the Division for 17 years.
The 82nd Airborne is the only division with a Hall of Fame, honoring those who distinguished themselves in combat or contributed in some significant way to the Division.
US Air Force: Pararescue
The Army Times: New Army Rule Protects Airborne Pay for Soldiers Behind on Their Required Jumps
Go Army: Airborne School
US Army Fort Bragg: The 82nd Airborne Division
USO: 8 Things You Need to Know About the 82nd Airborne Division on Its 100th Birthday
The Army Times: The 82nd Airborne Will Induct 20 Soldiers into the Hall of Fame
Base Ops: US Army Airborne School
Military: Army Airborne Training
Denise Dayton is a a freelance writer who specializes in business, education and technology. She has written for eHow.com, Library Journal, The Searcher, Bureau of Education and Research, and corporate clients.
Requirements to Become a Paratrooper
Could You Be a Navy Seal, a Green Beret, and a Ranger?
Yearly Salary for a Naval Officer
How to Become an Airborne Officer
Army Special Forces Medic Training
Pararescue Job Description
Air Force Special Ops Jobs
Air Force Honor Guard Job Descriptions
What Is the Pay Grade for a Lance Corporal in the Marine Corps?
1 Requirements to Become a Paratrooper
2 Could You Be a Navy Seal, a Green Beret, and a Ranger?
3 Yearly Salary for a Naval Officer
4 How to Become an Airborne Officer


text:
Connor Plarre #12
Hopewell Valley Boys Volleyball
Class: Senior | Pos: MB
2021-2022 9 7 3 3
Career Totals: 9 7 3 3
04/08/2022 vs. Burlington City W 2-0 2 — — — — —
04/20/2022 vs. Atlantic Tech W 2-0 1 — — — — —
04/25/2022 @ Northern Burlington L 0-2 1 — 3 — 3 3
04/26/2022 @ Burlington Township W 2-0 — — 3 — — —
05/10/2022 vs. Pennsauken W 2-0 2 — 1 — — —
05/13/2022 vs. Northern Burlington L 0-2 1 — — — — —
05/19/2022 vs. Hunterdon Central L 0-2 2 — — — — —
Season Totals: 9 — 7 — 3 3
2021-2022 Featured Stats


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Ukraine prosecutor offered information related to Biden in exchange for ambassador's ouster, newly released materials show – The Washington Post
https://ift.tt/36Uc3q3
The cache of materials released by House investigators late Tuesday exposed a number of previously unknown details about efforts by Giuliani and his associates to obtain material in Ukraine that would undermine Trump's Democratic opponents.
Their emergence on the eve of the Senate impeachment trial spurred Democrats to renew calls for the White House to turn over documents related to the Ukraine pressure campaign that it has refused to share with Congress.
Among the revelations in the documents released Tuesday: a message from Giuliani to Parnas saying he had involved a person he called "no 1" — possibly Trump himself — in an effort to lift a U.S. visa ban on a former Ukrainian prosecutor who was planning to come to the United States to make claims about Biden.
The materials also include a letter Giuliani wrote to Ukraine's then-president-elect, Volodymyr Zelensky, requesting a May 14 meeting with the new leader in Giuliani's "capacity as personal counsel to President Trump and with his knowledge and consent." Giuliani scrapped his planned trip, and the meeting never took place.
Another document released by the House investigators appears to show Parnas directly involved with efforts to get Zelensky to announce investigations related to Biden.
In handwritten notes on a piece of stationery from the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Vienna, Parnas wrote, "get Zalenksy [sic] to Annouce [sic] that the Biden case will be Investigated."
"All of this new evidence confirms what we already know: the President and his associates pressured Ukrainian officials to announce investigations that would benefit the President politically," the chairs of the House Intelligence, Oversight, Judiciary and Foreign Affairs Committees said in a joint statement. "There cannot be a full and fair trial in the Senate without the documents that President Trump is refusing to provide to Congress."
Giuliani did not respond to requests for comment. The White House declined to comment.
The materials show that Parnas, a Russian-speaker who helped coordinate Giuliani's outreach to Ukrainian sources, was directly communicating with an array of top Ukrainian officials. Among them was Yuri Lutsenko, at the time Ukraine's top prosecutor and a close political ally of then-Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, who was running for reelection.
Lutsenko wanted to get rid of Yovanovitch, the U.S. ambassador, in part because she had been critical of his office and supported a quasi-independent anti-corruption bureau he despised.
The messages, written in Russian, show Lutsenko urging Parnas to force out Yovanovitch in exchange for cooperation regarding Biden. At one point, Lutsenko suggests he won't make any helpful public statements unless "madam" is removed.
"It's just that if you don't make a decision about Madam — you are calling into question all my declarations. Including about B," Lutsenko wrote to Parnas in a March 22 message on WhatsApp.
It's unclear if 'B' is a reference to Biden or Burisma, the Ukrainian gas company on whose board Hunter Biden served from 2014 to 2019.
Four days later, Lutsenko told Parnas that work on the case against the owner of the gas company is proceeding successfully and evidence of the money transfers of "B" had been obtained.
"And here you can't even remove one fool :(" Lutsenko laments, again appearing to push for Yovanovitch's ouster.
"She's not a simple fool[,] trust me," Parnas responded. "But she's not getting away."
Parnas, days later, told Lutsenko that "soon everything will turn around and we'll be on the right course." Lutsenko responded that he has copies of payments Burisma made to the investment firm co-founded by Biden's son Hunter.
The following month, Yovanovitch was removed from her post at Giuliani's urging. Lutsenko later said publicly that he found no evidence of wrongdoing under Ukrainian law by Hunter or Joe Biden.
A spokeswoman for Lutsenko did not respond to a message requesting comment.
The new documents also introduced a new character in the drama over the ambassador's ouster: a Republican congressional candidate from Connecticut who asserted to Parnas in messages that he had Yovanovitch under physical and electronic surveillance.
"Wow. Can't believe Trumo [sic] hasn't fired this b—-," Robert F. Hyde wrote in an encrypted message to Parnas on March 23. "I'll get right [on] that."
Hyde described having contact with a "private security" team located near the embassy that was apparently monitoring the ambassador's movements.
"She's talked to three people. Her phone is off. Computer is off," he wrote in one message.
"They will let me know when she's on the move," he said in another. Later, he alerted Parnas that he had been told Yovanovitch would not be moved to a "special security unit."
"They are willing to help if we/you would like a price," he said in one note. "Guess you can do anything in the Ukraine with money . . . what I was told."
Hyde did not explain how his team might "help" Parnas, who responded only with "lol."
When asked for comment by The Washington Post in a text message, Hyde replied: "Sorry I can't talk right now."
In a statement, Joseph A. Bondy, a lawyer for Parnas, said, "There is no evidence that Mr. Parnas participated, agreed, paid money or took any other steps in furtherance of Mr. Hyde's proposals."
Hyde is one of three Republicans running to unseat an incumbent Democrat in the 5th Congressional District in Connecticut. He frequently tweets about his support for Trump and posted photos of himself with the president.
Lawrence S. Robbins, a Yovanovitch attorney, said in a statement: "Needless to say, the notion that American citizens and others were monitoring Ambassador Yovanovitch's movements for unknown purposes is disturbing. We trust that the appropriate authorities will conduct an investigation to determine what happened."
During his July 25 phone call with Zelensky, Trump denigrated Yovanovitch. "Well, she's going to go through some things," Trump told the Ukrainian leader.
Yovanovitch testified that she was devastated by the president's comments and felt threatened by them.
The newly released documents also detail Giuliani's involvement in trying to secure a U.S. visa for Lutsenko's predecessor, Viktor Shokin, who has alleged that Biden asked Poroshenko to fire him because he was investigating the owner of Burisma at the time.
Biden has denied the allegation, saying he pushed for Shokin's firing as part of U.S. anti-corruption policy toward Ukraine, consistent with a broad consensus among U.S. and European officials at the time that he was failing to reform the country's corrupt judicial system. Shokin was fired, after Biden's urging, in March 2016.
Parnas was hoping to bring Shokin to the United States to meet with Giuliani and record his claims against Biden, but the U.S. Embassy, then run by Yovanovitch, had blocked Shokin's visa.
In January of last year, Parnas texted Giuliani to say the embassy had denied the visa.
"I can revive it," Giuliani replied.
A day later, after the visa still hadn't come through, Giuliani assured Parnas: "It's going to work I have no 1 in (sic) it."
Shokin didn't receive a visa. Instead, he gave a statement to Giuliani over the phone.
The trove of documents also appears to include Giuliani's first formal outreach to Zelensky. On May 10, he wrote to the president-elect personally, identifying himself as Trump's private lawyer and asking for a meeting at which he would be accompanied by Victoria Toensing, a Washington lawyer who assisted Giuliani in the early phases of the Biden-related inquiry.
The missive came after Parnas made overtures to an array of top Ukrainian officials, including Ivan Bakanov, a close aide to Zelensky who is now head of Ukraine's intelligence agency, in an effort to secure cooperation from the new Ukrainian leadership.
At one point, Parnas expressed frustration that the connection had not been established.
"Please let me know what's happening and why we have not been able to do the call yet," he wrote.
On May 9, Parnas sent Bakanov a New York Times article that described Giuliani's agenda for a planned trip to Ukraine, including the former New York mayor's interest in investigating the Biden family.
Giuliani later scrapped the trip, telling Fox News he was convinced Zelensky was surrounded by enemies of Trump and enemies of the United States.
Alice Crites and Ashley Parker contributed to this report.
← UK police fear Meghan Markle, Prince Harry's security costs will spiral out of control, report says – Fox News
Ken Jennings officially greatest 'Jeopardy!' contestant of all time – Today.com →


Let your guest see all that Kissimmee and Orlando have to offer!
The 2016 Host Committee has put together two full days of tours showcasing some of the best sites and most delicious cafes and restaurants in the Orlando area. If you're bringing a companion or friend with you to NIRSA 2016, don't leave them stuck in your hotel room. Instead, invite them to register for the Guest Program to make some memories with new friends and see some amazing sites!
Please note: The Guest Program is now closed. If you have questions, please contact NIRSA.


I was on Spotify the other day and I spotted a 'Landmark' edition of Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill. The album on Spotify had been 'augmented' with mini interviews with Alanis and producer Glen Ballard concerning the recording and writing process for the album as a whole and the songs within.
The Landmark edition of this album on Spotify has interviews giving the listener a greater understanding of how the music was recorded.
Doing this helps the listener get a greater appreciation and understanding for the music. After listening, that person will like the music and the artist even more!
So how can you do something similar for one of your albums? OK, well let's work on the basis that you have an album and all the songs uploaded as cover art tracks on YouTube (there's an article about how to do that here). Record a video pertinent to each song where you talk about the writing process, recording and production…whatever you feel is relevant to give the listener a deeper understanding. Upload a video to YouTube for each track and then create a playlist which sequences each music track with its own 'video explainer'. You can also do the same with using audio on SoundCloud creating a SoundCloud playlist.


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ESPYS 2019: US Women's National Team win big with equal pay message of the night
BY ABC News Radio | July 11, 2019
Home › News › ABC News › Sports News
(LOS ANGELES) — The U.S. women's national team scored a goal yet again, this time at the 2019 ESPYS.
Hours after being celebrated with a ticker-tape parade in New York City on Wednesday, the team was in Los Angeles for the award show.
They arrived shortly after the start of the program and quickly their impact was felt, as Alex Morgan took home the trophy for best female athlete.
"This was probably the second best trophy we won this week," Morgan joked.
She congratulated the other "powerful" women in her category.
She then gave a shout out to her teammates, yelling, "We did it!"
"I love you guys like sisters and I have 22 best friends," she added.
"Investment in women and girls should not only occur on fields," Morgan added, saying it should happen in all aspects of life and in the professional world. "We are more than just athletes!"
Later in the night, the final award for best team went to the women's national team.
Sandra Bullock announced the win by saying, "All those in favor of equal pay, say 'Aye.'"
The entire team took the podium, capping off a full day of celebrating their glory.
After the co-captains said how proud they were of all the "22 fabulous ladies," Morgan said, "Let's pay these ladies and goodnight."
As previously mentioned, the champs were in New York earlier in the day relishing their victory, but calling once again for equal pay among both women and men in soccer.
During the parade, some of the players on the World Cup winning team were seen holding a handmade poster reading, "Parades are cool, equal pay is cooler."
Even New York City Mayor and 2020 presidential candidate Bill de Blasio and his wife Chirlane McCray led chants of "U.S.A., equal pay!"
"Equality of women must be guaranteed in this nation and let's honor them by doing it. Let's honor them by showing it," de Blasio said.
Co-captain Megan Rapinoe called on everyone — who "agrees and doesn't agree" — to "step outside of yourselves, be more, be better," and "make your community better."
"This is my charge to everyone: we have to be better," she said. "We have to love more, hate less. We gotta listen more and talk less. We gotta know that this is everybody's responsibility."
Jessica McDonald, only mom on US soccer team, hopes her son remembers this
Scoreboard roundup -- 7/16/19
As US women's soccer team rallies for equal pay, what to know about the gender wage gap
Tiger Woods prepping for Open, says winning Masters took a toll


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


This page contains average wholesale prices for French Butter (Beurre standard industriel 82% MG).
The average Butter prices recorded from FranceAgriMer and ATLA over the last ten weeks are listed in the first two tables, while the graph to the side illustrates price trends over the last three years.
The graph below compares prices over a given period for Butter in France, Germany and Netherlands.
Starting from December 1st 2011, the EU member States have the possibility to publish the prices according to contracts or invoices or both methods (EU Reg.n 1191/2011 of 19/11/11).
* Cotation spot (nouveaux contrats).


David Dwyer, deceased, was an honored pioneer citizen of Chateaugay, where he lived for many years. He was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, in 1832, the son of Owen Dwyer.
David Dwyer was one of a family of five children: 1. James, who emigrated to the United States in 1850 and engaged in fanning in Clinton County, N. Y. 2. David, the subject of this sketch. 3. Honora, who came to this country with her brother David in 1854. She married shortly after her arrival and lived at Torrington, Conn. 4. Timothy, who spent his entire life in Ireland with his parents. 5. Margaret, who came to the United States in 1867 and lived at Chateaugay.
David Dwyer left his native land in July, 1854, and landed in Quebec, Canada, on September 8th. He came directly to Chateaugay and spent the remainder of his life in this section. He became well known as the proprietor of a wheelwright and blacksmith shop.
On Aug. 12, 1860, David Dwyer married Miss Catherine Toohey, a native of County Limerick, Ireland. To them were born eight children as follows: 1. Thomas Henry, born May 22, 1861, associated with his father in business for a number of years, and later proprietor of the Chateau Hotel at Chateaugay. He was married Feb. 6, 1893, to Miss Frances Lyons. He died March 13, 1929. 2. Alice Elizabeth, born Feb. 8, 1863, was married on May 6, 1884, to George A. Tobin, who died Aug. 5, 1931. She died July 19, 1925. 3. Julia Anastasia, born Dec. 25, 1864, died Oct. 1, 1879. 4. Mary (Minnie) Ellen, born March 10, 1867, was a teacher for 18 years in the public schools, and since 1905 has owned and managed the Women's Specialty Shoppe at Chateaugay. 5. David Owen, born May 1, 1869, died in October, 1899. 6. Catherine Agnes, born Sept. 21, 1871, married Daniel Chambers, lives at Albany. 7. Margaret Anne, born Dec. 27, 1877, mention of whom is made below. 8. Winifred B., born Sept. 6, 1881, died July 13, 1918.
Margaret Anne Dwyer attended the public schools of Chateaugay and was married April 23, 1901, to Frank E. Lancto, plumbing and heating contractor, of Chateaugay. They have two children: 1. Francis, born Nov. 28, 1908, a graduate of Chateaugay High School, and attends The Catholic University of America at Washington, D. C., where he graduates in June, 1932. 2. Mary Monica, born May 28, 1911, a graduate of Chateaugay High School, attends the College of New Rochelle, a member of the class of 1932. Mrs. Lancto is Grand Regent of the Catholic Daughters of America in Chateaugay, and District Deputy for the Northern District of New York. She is a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church. She is active in local politics, being Democratic County Committeewoman and Associate County Chairman.
David Dwyer died July 9, 1888, and his wife died Aug. 20, 1889. Both are buried in Chateaugay Cemetery.