Former Expedia CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has been appointed as Uber’s new chief executive, following a unanimous vote by its board, the company confirms.
Dara Khosrowshahi will meet with staff for the first time on August 30, a statement from Uber said.
His appointment ends months of speculation about who would take the top job at the troubled company.
Dara Khosrowshahi replaces co-founder Travis Kalanick, who resigned in June following investor pressure after months of turmoil.
He came to America when he was 9-year-old, after his family fled Iran on the eve of the Iranian Revolution.
Image source LinkedIn
In 2005, Dara Khosrowshahi became chief executive of the online travel site Expedia, which operates in more than 60 countries.
In an email to staff posted on its website on August 29, the company said it was confident Dara Khosrowshahi was “the best person to lead Uber into the future.”
The announcement was widely anticipated, as Dara Khosrowshahi had already told news outlets he planned to leave Expedia for Uber.
He told Bloomberg News he was aware of the challenges, but was interested in working at a company that is “redefining the transportation industry”.
“Are there difficulties? Are there complexities? Are there challenges? Absolutely, but that’s also what makes it fun.”
“I am not in this to coast. I’m in it to get my hands dirty and build a team and do something that people will look back on with tonnes of satisfaction,” he said.
Dara Khosrowshahi earned about $2.5 million in total compensation at Expedia last year.
His pay has fluctuated wildly because of stock options. In 2015, he earned more than $94 million in total compensation, primarily due to stock awards.
Dara Khosrowshahi will face a number of challenges in his new role, as he seeks to improve both the bottom line and the company’s tarnished image.
Uber said on August 29 that it is cooperating with a US probe into possible bribery law violations.
Travis Kalanick left the firm in June after clashes with regulators in many countries, a trade secrets lawsuit and controversies about harassment.
The euro has reached an 18-month high against US dollar as the prospect of a US interest rate rise recedes.
The European currency hit $1.20 for the first time since January 2015.
Hurricane Harvey’s impact has led analysts to assume the Federal Reserve will not want to risk curbing economic growth and fears over North Korea’s activities have unnerved investors.
A rise in interest rates tends to draw investors to a currency, taking advantage of the higher returns.
Meanwhile, the euro has itself been gaining against a range of currencies.
Against the dollar, the euro has risen by almost 15% so far this year.
The euro has strengthened in recent months, as the eurozone’s economy improves and markets predict the European Central Bank could start to cut back the money-printing program it has been running to repair the ravages of the eurozone crisis and credit crunch of the late 2000s.
The dollar was also undermined by August 25 annual meeting of central bankers at the Jackson Hole resort in Wyoming at which Federal Reserve chief Janet Yellen’s speech gave no hint that the central back was planning any policy change that would support the dollar.
At the same event, European Central Bank President Mario Draghi did nothing to talk down the euro.
Euro strength has left the pound at its weakest for almost a year. It buys 1.0759 euros in the wholesale currency markets, making a euro worth a much as 92.95p.
Sterling buys $1.2955 currently.
Tourist rates tend to be below those of the markets, sometimes by quite a bit.
Mark Zuckerberg has announced the birth of his second child with Priscilla Chan – a baby girl named August – in a new letter published on August 28.
The Facebook’s co-founder has urged his young daughter to play outside and enjoy the wonders of being a kid, in the heartfelt letter posted on his social media site.
In the gushing missive, Mark Zuckerberg and Pricilla Chan speak about the magic of childhood and the importance of play.
He wrote on his Facebook page: “Priscilla and I are so happy to welcome our daughter August! We wrote her a letter about the world we hope she grows up in, and also hoping she doesn’t grow up too fast.”
The post, which appears alongside a family photo on Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook page, encourages the new baby not to “grow up too fast”.
“The world can be a serious place. That’s why it’s important to make time to go outside and play,” said the letter, signed “Mom and Dad”.
The call to discover a childhood outdoors is at odds with the aims of Mark Zuckerberg’s social media empire.
“I hope you run as many laps around our living room and yard as you want. And then I hope you take a lot of naps,” the parents wrote.
“Childhood is magical. You only get to be a child once, so don’t spend it worrying too much about the future,” they added.
It marks a lighter tone from the open letter written to welcome baby daughter Max, which reflected on the problems facing younger generations and how technological progress will drive change.
At that time, Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan said they would donate their fortune to the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to make the world a better place for Max to grow up in.
However, the parents wanted to shield their latest addition from these kinds of concerns, telling their daughter not to worry about the future, adding: “You’ve got us for that.”
“You will be busy when you’re older, so I hope you take time to smell all the flowers and put all the leaves you want in your bucket now,” Mark Zuckerberg and Pricilla Chan said.
It’s pretty fair to say that debt is an inescapable part of everyday life for a lot of people. If you want to buy a home, then you have to take out a mortgage; most people who want go to college depend on student loans; people even use credit cards to fund their holidays. But that raises the question: when do people reach the point where they’re relying too much on debt?
How much is too much?
These days, as many as one in four families use credit to pay things like their regular bills as well as supporting their lifestyle overall. Every day, more and more people are putting themselves into the red as a method of staying on top of their regular finances. For many, this is a sign that the cost of living is simply too high and a lot of people aren’t being paid a decent living wage to make up for that. However, there are those who believe that it’s simply a matter of people wanting to spend more money than they have.
What can be done?
Of course, for a lot of the families who are using credit to get by on a day-to-day basis, it can feel as though the debt that they’re in will never be wiped away. However, there are things people can do to limit the impact of debt on their lives. For one thing, it’s important to make sure that you’re fully aware of all of the repayment terms of any loan or line of credit. Companies like auto.loan specialise in helping people find the best interest rates and repayment options for automobile loans, and there are plenty of others available. The reality is that debt is not going to stop being a central part of our economy, and the best that many individuals can manage is to think more carefully about the kinds of credit that they’re using.
What not to do
It is very easy to panic when you find yourself in debt, and many families end up resorting to drastic measures in order to cover it. One of the worst things that many people end up doing is that they try to cover the debt with more debt. This can be especially risky with things like short term cash loans which have very high-interest rates. Doing this is just going to cause a cycle of more and more debt until it becomes untenable. Not only that but doing this makes it much harder to get any line of credit in the future.
If you’re worried about the amount of debt in your life, then there are plenty of organisations that you can get into contact with who can offer a great deal of help and support to you and your family. Whether it’s helping you get control of your spending habits or simply helping you get your finances back into the black, there are always services out there and ways in which you can help yourself.
The popular press is awash with news that hackers have breached HBO’s cyber defenses and have allegedly stolen steal than 1.5 terabytes of data, including scripts from unaired Game of Thrones episodes. As fascinating as this news may be to consumers of popular culture, it obscures more serious cyberattack news stories that have far deeper consequences. Consider, for example, the five most significant network hacks from the past several years.
In 2014, hackers exploited a vulnerability in OpenSSL using a tool known as “Heartbleed” to break into a virtual private network (VPN) that a major corporation had used to encrypt data and communications. Individuals and businesses routinely rely on the added encryption provided by a VPN to ensure confidentiality of communications. This recent hack reveals that even VPNs have their weaknesses.
A foreign government was believed to be behind a 2015 hack attack on the insurance giant, Anthem Health. That hack compromised more than 78 million consumer health and insurance records. More recently, the governments or government proxies of North Korea, China, Russia, and the United States have all been accused of participating in hacking activities.
Image source Flickr
The “Petya” ransomware attack crippled more than 60 percent of computers and networks in the Ukraine in early 2017. A subsequent analysis of the attack suggested that although the attackers demanded a ransom to release frozen systems, the attack might have had a moiré sinister purpose of disabling the Ukraine’s technology infrastructure.
The Dyn distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack that struck a significant number of computers and networks in North America and Europe in late 2016 was the largest ever cyberattack launched on the internet. The attack continued for several days, affecting servers utilized by Twitter, Netflix, CNN, and other major web players.
The Wannacry ransomware attack in early 2017 was stopped early in its tracks by good luck and quick thinking on the part of the individuals who first noticed it. Still this cyberattack crippled parts of the United Kingdom’s National Health Service and enriched the hackers who demanded and were paid more than $100,000 to release various systems and networks.
The scope and scale of these massive cyberattacks should cause all businesses, regardless of size, to reassess their cybersecurity strategies. In all likelihood, like HBO, the entities that were affected by these cyberattacks had erected defenses against hacking and gave their employees at least some rudimentary education and training in eliminating the human error and conduct that exposes a network to cyberattacks. Yet as these attacks suggest, even commonly-suggested cyber defense strategies, such as VPNs, are not fully effective against determined groups of hackers, particularly if those hackers have government resources behind them.
This does not suggest that businesses should abandon all hope and give up on their cyber defenses. Rather, they need to confirm that those strategies are up-to-date and consistent with the latest tools and techniques to fend off cyberattacks. Realizing, however, that none of those tools and techniques will be foolproof, businesses also need to develop a plan to respond when they do experience a successful attack. Cyber security insurance is a mandatory part of that plan.
Cyber security insurance will cover a business’s direct losses when a cyberattack damages data and hardware, which gives the business some assurances that its profits will not be entirely consumed by the need to recover those elements. Insurance can also protect a business against third party liabilities and regulatory fines that may be levied when a business loses its customers’ personal or financial information. Depending on the size of the business, a single cyberattack can cost anywhere from $30,000 to $2 million or more. Few businesses are equipped to absorb these kinds of costs directly. Cyber security insurance can cover these losses and allow a business to continue its operations with a minimum of interruptions after it experiences a cyberattack.
North Korea has fired a missile over northern Japan.
Japanese PM Shinzo Abe called the move an “unprecedented” threat to his country.
The missile, launched early on August 29, flew over Hokkaido Island before crashing into the sea.
The UN Security Council is expected to hold an emergency meeting in response.
North Korea has conducted a flurry of missile tests recently, but this is the first time it has fired what is thought to be a ballistic weapon over Japan.
On the two previous occasions its rockets crossed Japan – in 1998 and 2009 – North Korea said they were for satellite launch vehicles, not weapons.
According to the South Korean military, the missile was fired eastward just before 06:00 local time from near Pyongyang – which is rare.
Early analysis of the launch suggests the missile flew a distance of more than 1,680 miles and reached a maximum altitude of about 342 miles, lower than most previous North Korean tests. The missile was likely a Hwasong-12, a newly developed intermediate range weapon, and fell into the North Pacific Ocean 740 miles off the Japanese coast after breaking into three pieces.
No effort was made by the Japanese to shoot down the missile but it issued a safety warning telling citizens in Hokkaido to take shelter in “a sturdy building or basement”.
US and Japanese forces are currently taking part in training drills in Hokkaido.
South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in ordered a show of “overwhelming” force in response to the launch. Four South Korean jets staged a live bombing drill on August 29.
Japan’s PM Shinzo Abe said he had spoken to President Donald Trump and that both agreed to increase pressure on North Korea.
Shinzo Abe said the North Korea’s “reckless action is an unprecedented, serious and a grave threat to our nation” which also “greatly damages regional peace and security”.
The prime minister said his government was doing its utmost to protect people’s lives.
North Korea’s conventional and nuclear weapons programs are a breach of international sanctions, so the test is being seen as a major provocation and an escalation of tensions on the Korean peninsula.
Earlier this month, North Korea threatened to fire missiles towards the US Pacific territory of Guam, while President Donald Trump warned Pyongyang would face “fire and fury” if it continued to threaten the US.
There have also been some reports in recent months that North Korea is preparing to carry out its sixth nuclear test.
However, last week, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the fact that North Korea had not carried out any missile launches since the UN imposed a fresh round of sanctions was an indication of restraint by Pyongyang.
Harvey made landfall as a category-four hurricane on August 25. It was later downgraded to a tropical storm.
Up to 2,000 people have been rescued in and around Houston, the fourth-largest city in the US, where about 6.6 million people live in the metropolitan area.
An inundated care home in Dickinson, about 30 miles south east of Houston, has now been evacuated by helicopter after an image of several elderly women sitting in a lounge in waist-deep water went viral on social media.
The US National Weather Service (NWS) says conditions are “unprecedented”. A “flash flood emergency” is in force across the Houston area, with travel near impossible.
Thousands of homes are without electricity. Many schools are closed – as are the two main airports, with runways completely flooded.
Best Fight Against the System: The Hamilton Mixtape – Immigrants (We Get the Job Done), Alessia Cara – Scars to Your Beautiful, John Legend – Surefire, Logic feat Damian Lemar Hudson – Black Spiderman, Big Sean – Light, Taboo feat. Shaliene Woodley – Stand up/ Stand N Rock #NoDapl
Best Direction: Dave Meyers and The Little Homies (for Kendrick Lamar – Humble)
Best Cinematography: Kendrick Lamar – Humble
Best Art Direction: Kendrick Lamar – Humble
Best Choreography: Kanye West – Fade
Song of the Summer: Lil Uzi Ver – XO Tour L1if3
Best Visual Effects: Katy Perry feat. Skip Marley – Chained to the Rhythm
Kendrick Lamar was the biggest winner at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), taking home six prizes and opening the show with a message about police brutality.
Fellow rapper Cardi B also touched on the issue when she gave a shout-out to NFL player Colin Kaepernick who has been side-lined after protesting against racial injustice by kneeling during the national anthem before games.
“As long as you kneel with us, we’re gonna be standing for you,” she said.
Taylor Swift failed to appear at the event, but debuted her comeback music video for Look What You Made Me Do.
Her video has been watched more than 12 million times on YouTube already.
Earlier this year MTV announced it was abandoning traditional male and female categories, switching to gender-neutral awards instead.
Susan Bro handed out the Fight Against the System Award, just 15 days after Heather Heyer was killed during a protest against a far-right march in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Paying tribute to her daughter, she said: “I miss her, but I know she’s here tonight.”
Susan Bro was introduced by the stage by Reverend Robert Wright Lee IV, a descendant of the controversial general on the Confederate side of the US Civil War.
“We have made my ancestor an idol of white supremacy, racism, and hate,” he said.
All six nominees for the award shared the prize. Somali nominee K’naan, whose cover of a Hamilton track paid tribute to the work of immigrants, wore a mock Make America Great Again written in Arabic.
Michael Jackson’s daughter Paris also spoke out against the violence in Charlottesville, calling out “Nazi white supremacist jerks”.
“We as a nation with liberty as our slogan – we have zero tolerance for their violence, their hatred and their discrimination. We must resist.”
Artists mostly avoided referring to President Trump directly, but criticized his policies and events indirectly.
Host Katy Perry, who campaigned for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election mocked Donald Trump with the new award: “Listen, guys, this is one election where the popular vote actually matters…so vote online, but hurry up, before some random Russian pop star wins!”
Musician Logic performed a powerful rendition of his song 1-800-273-8255 (named after the US suicide prevention hotline) with the lyrics: “I want you to be alive / You don’t gotta die today.”
He shared the stage with survivors of suicide attempts wearing “You are not alone” t-shirts.
Thirty Seconds to Mars frontman Jared Leto paid tribute to vocalists Chester Bennington and Chris Cornell who both took their own lives earlier this year.
California is home to some of the country’s most beautiful and congested roads. Millions call California home and millions of others visit each year to take in the seascapes, landscapes, and tourist attractions. Each year, individual California drivers log an average of 13,636 miles, which exceeds the national average of 9,363 miles per driver. Collectively, Californians drive over 300 billion miles. These numbers do not take into account (a) tourists, (b) businesspeople, and (c) out-of-state drivers passing through.
Image source Wikipedia
Hundreds of Car Accidents on California Roads Every Day
With so many cars on the road and so many miles being driven it should not be surprising that injury-causing auto accidents occur quite frequently. In 2013, the latest year for which data was available, more than 157,000 traffic accidents caused more than 223,000 injuries in California. That is 430 accidents and 610 injuries each and every day in the Golden State. Research points to a correlation between an improving economy, the number of vehicles on the road, and injury causing accidents. “We’ve seen a huge spike of car crash personal injury claims in our office” say Sherwin Arzani, an attorney that handles car accident cases in Los Angeles, CA. “As the economy continues to grow it is likely that we will continue to see hundreds of traffic accidents in California each day,” Mr. Arzani goes on to say.
Injuries caused by a California car accident can be severe. A personal injury lawsuit for damages against those responsible for causing the crash can be a great way to get the much needed financial support you require to get back to your day-to-day life. Make sure to consult your doctor and attorney before returning to work. Injuries that car accident victims often seek to recover compensation for include:
Traumatic brain injury;
Spinal cord injury;
Internal organ damage;
Internal bleeding;
Loss of limbs;
Whiplash;
Disfigurement;
Paralysis; and
Death.
What kind of compensation will you be able to ask for in your personal injury lawsuit? The answer is directly related to the kinds of injuries you sustained. These injuries could be physical, emotional, psychological, or even financial. Damages are generally broken down into two categories: economic and noneconomic.
Economic damages are paid to compensate you for verifiable and easily identifiable losses. These often include past and future medical costs, lost wages, projected lost future wages, and costs of property damage repair or replacement. If a loved one is killed in a car accident, families may seek to recover costs associated with the funeral and/or burial of the victim.
Noneconomic damages are paid to compensate you for losses that are more difficult to assign a monetary value. These losses are often very personal and depend on more subjective details. Noneconomic damages may include emotional distress, embarrassment, pain and suffering, loss of companionship, and loss of enjoyment of life. If a loved one is killed in a car accident, families may seek to recover costs associated with their own emotional distress, loss of consortium or companionship, and grief.
Why Should I Hire a California Car Accident Attorney After My Accident?
The time following a car accident can be overwhelming. This is especially true if you sustain serious injuries and need to find a way to pay your medical bills. Hiring an attorney can help to reduce the stress you face and maximize the compensation you are able to recover. Attorneys have experience dealing with the complexities of personal injury claims and understand the nuances of the law. Insurance companies will want to take advantage of victims shortly after an accident and prey on a lack of specialized legal knowledge. Hiring an attorney can help to ensure that your rights are protected and that you recover the compensation you deserve – and not a penny less. When you hire an attorney to represent you they may:
Review the police report, photographs of the scene of the accident, and medical evaluations;
Independently investigate the accident;
Consult with experts, including medical professionals and accident recreationists;
Find and interview witnesses;
Communicate and negotiate with insurance companies;
Determine potentially responsible parties;
Research similar cases to help maximize compensation;
Draft compelling legal arguments to persuade defendants and the court; and
Communicate with you and explain the process.
At Citywide Law Group, a trusted Los Angeles personal injury law firm, we do not want to add more stress to a victim’s life after an accident. We understand the financial pressure that often accompanies a car accident. To help ensure that victims are not afraid of seeking legal representation we offer our services on a contingency fee basis. This means that we do not get paid until we recover compensation for you. If you have been injured in a California car accident, contact our office today for a free, no-commitment consultation.
If you have taken a few dance lessons and are starting to get serious about dance, it might be time to purchase a pair of appropriate shoes that will not hurt your feet. A good pair of shoes will help you to dance better and they will last longer.
Here are some tips that will help you choosing the right pair of dance shoes:
They Should Fit Like a Glove
When trying on a pair of dance shoes, ensure that they fit snugly without applying too much pressure on your feet. This will allow you to have better control over your shoes after you break them in. This means that you should go at least half a size down when buying dance shoes.
You can get the right pair of shoes at an affordable price on the internet by visiting sites such as JustforKix.com or similar where you will find well-fitting shoes that will take your dance skills to the next level.
Heel Heights
If you are taking ballroom or Latin dance classes, opt for a heel size of between 1.5 and 3 inches. As a beginner, pay attention to choose a height that gives you the maximum comfort. If you have never worn heels in your life, consider starting with a lower height.
You also have to choose between different heel shapes, including flared and slim. A flared heel is good because it provides more stability. For men’s shoes, a one-inch heel is ideal for ballroom dance styles while a 1.5” is made for Latin dance styles. Unless you are in a dance competition, a one-inch heel is ideal for both dance styles.
Closed Vs. Open Toe
In general, open toe shoes are worn for rhythm and Latin dances like swing and salsa, which require the dancers to point their toes and articulate their feet. With open toed shoes, you will be able to point your toes easily and execute your footwork in a precise manner.
On the other hand, closed shoes are for smooth dances like the foxtrot and waltz.
Unless you have already picked a particular dance, you can choose any shoe style that you like. However, beginners should stick to wearing closed shoes to prevent other beginners from stepping on their toes.
Suede Sole Shoe
For your dance shoes, a suede sole is recommended because it gives traction, allowing you to have more control and feel more balanced. You need to scrub the sole using a wire shoe brush to maintain its rough texture.
Buying Shoes In-Store vs. Online
Whether you buy your shoes in a physical store or online, visit a dance supply shop to try on a similar pair. Because shoe sizes change depending on the brand. Compare different sizes and models to make sure that you have the right fit. Once you do that, you will be able to make online purchases feeling confident they will be the right fit.
Cost
The cost of Latin and ballroom dance shoes ranges between 80 and 300 dollars per pair depending on the quality and brand. For about 200 dollars, you can get a pair of high quality dancing shoes. It is worth to spend a bit more because a high quality pair of shoes will offer more support and last longer.
Maintenance
The number one thing that kills a shoe is moisture. Think about buying a shoe tree that will absorb any moisture from your shoes and maintain their shape. Additionally, if you want to fight shoe odor, get cedar shoe trees.
Keep in mind that dance shoes are not made to last long because of frequent use and the delicate materials they are made of. If you want to extend the life of your shoes, buy two pairs and alternate them.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has said he fears of severe flooding as the rains from Tropical Storm Harvey continue to lash the state.
The governor said the cities of Houston and Corpus Christi had already received as much as 20in of rain.
Greg Abbott said another 40in of rain could be due before the storm subsides midweek.
Rescue efforts are being hampered by strong winds and thousands are without power. Two deaths have been confirmed, in the Rockport area and Houston.
In Aransas County, where Rockport is the chief town, a person died in a house fire on August 25.
A woman died in Houston as she drove through flooded streets on August 26.
Houston, the fourth biggest city in the US, could see 2in-3in of a rain an hour on Saturday night, Mayor Sylvester Turner said.
According to officials, about 4,500 inmates from prisons south of Houston are being evacuated to other prisons in east Texas because the Brazos River nearby is rising significantly.
Harvey began as a major category 4 hurricane – the first to make landfall in the US in 12 years – before it was downgraded to a tropical storm later on August 26.
Governor Abbott warned of the “potential for very dramatic flooding” from the storm while expanding a declaration of emergency in the state from 30 counties to 50.
He has mobilized 1,800 military personnel to help with rescue and repair operations.
Forecasts say that up to 40in of rain could fall in some areas of the middle and upper Texas coast, the hurricane center (NHC) warned. Such precipitation could trigger flooding in low-lying areas and near water outlets and rivers.
The National Weather Service cautioned that the storm was so severe that many areas could be uninhabitable for months.
Harvey has now mostly moved inland, officials say, with several places already reported to have received well over 10in of rain.
However, coastal areas will also be flooded by storm surges during high tide, the NHC said.
Meteorologist Wendy Wong told the Houston Chronicle that at least seven tornadoes stemming from the hurricane had struck the Houston area between Friday evening and Saturday afternoon.
The tornadoes destroyed buildings and homes and are likely to continue throughout Sunday and Monday.
Earlier, Hurricane Harvey made a double landfall: north-east of the city of Corpus Christi initially late on Friday local time, then just north of Rockport a few hours later.
When Harvey struck close to Corpus Christi it had winds of up to 130mph, but by noon its sustained winds had dropped to 70mph – therefore becoming a tropical storm.
It was moving at an extremely low speed – 2mph.
The port of Corpus Christi – which closed on August 24 in preparation for the storm – only received “minor damage”. Its navigation channel is due to reopen after a survey is completed by engineers.
Texas City also expects to open its port within 48 hours.
Utility companies say nearly 300,000 customers have been without electricity.
President Donald Trump has freed up federal aid for the worst-affected areas and Governor Greg Abbott praised the administration for “stepping up”.
In a teleconference with cabinet members, President Trump “emphasized his expectations that all departments and agencies stay fully engaged and positioned to support his number one priority of saving lives”, the White House said.
At least 18 people have been rescued from vessels in distress by Coast Guard helicopters. ABC News has tweeted a video of four people being rescued off the coast of Port Aransas.
Rockport, normally home to about 10,000 people, appears to have been the hardest hit town.
Port Aransas, a city on Mustang Island, near Corpus Christi, is also reported to have extensive damage. Local media reports say a search and rescue operation is under way at a trailer park.
Harvey is the first major storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. It is forecast to meander across south-east Texas until Wednesday.
President Trump is likely to visit Texas early next week, the White House said.
According to the Houston Chronicle, Harvey is the strongest storm to hit the US since Charley in August 2004 and the most powerful to hit Texas since Hurricane Carla in 1961, which killed 34 people.
President Donald Trump’s decision to pardon former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio over his criminal contempt conviction was wrong, Paul Ryan has said.
The top-ranking Republican in Congress said that he did not agree with the decision.
Joe Arpaio, 85, was found guilty after he defied a court order to stop traffic patrols targeting suspected immigrants.
The former sheriff said his conviction was “a witch hunt by the Obama justice department”.
Republican House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan is the latest senior politician to condemn Joe Arpaio’s pardon.
His spokesman said in a statement: “Law enforcement officials have a special responsibility to respect the rights of everyone in the United States. We should not allow anyone to believe that responsibility is diminished by this pardon.”
Other prominent Republican critics include Arizona Senator John McCain and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. Arizona’s other Republican Senator Jeff Flake also condemned the move as did Democrats and human rights campaigners.
Joe Arpaio’s lawyer Jack Wilenchik said that those critical of his pardon were wrong because he was unfairly prosecuted – there was no jury in his case.
The former sheriff was an eager supporter of Donald Trump’s campaign to become president and backed tougher policies to combat illegal immigration.
In a statement announcing the pardon, his first, President Trump said: “Arpaio’s life and career, which began at the age of 18 when he enlisted in the military after the outbreak of the Korean War, exemplify selfless public service.
“Throughout his time as sheriff, Arpaio continued his life’s work of protecting the public from the scourges of crime and illegal immigration.
“Sheriff Joe Arpaio is now 85 years old, and after more than 50 years of admirable service to our nation, he is a worthy candidate for a presidential pardon.”
Joe Arpaio has said that he may consider running for political office again, despite his age.
He lost a bid for re-election in Arizona’s Maricopa County in November 2016, after 24 years in office.
Joe Arpaio could have faced six months in jail at his sentencing in October.
He served in the US military before he became a police officer – where he quickly acquired a reputation for his anti-immigration stance and tough enforcement tactics.
The viability of the health care system in the UK has been under fire for some time, with pundits along with patient advocacy groups, citizens, and medical providers all adding to the heated discussion. Each month, it seems new data is published that sheds less than optimistic light on the operations of the NHS, and the latest reports are no exception. In July, details about the success of meeting patient wait time targets was released, highlighting the fact that intended marks have been missed consecutively for the past two years. Accident and emergency units (A&E) throughout the system have failed to meet the 95% target of no more than four hours, leaving between 5 and 10% of patients waiting an extended period to receive the care they need.
Although some argue that patient wait times have improved since targets were introduced, the recent data suggests otherwise. The health care system millions of people depend on each year is under a great amount of pressure from external and internal sources, creating an environment where providing the highest quality patient care, including appropriate wait times, is a challenge. The aging population combined with an increased reliance on emergency units for medical issues ranging from acute to severe means patient wait times may not be realistically lowered in the near future. Other moves within the NHS are also plaguing the success of the health care system throughout the country.
A&E Unit Closures
The missed targets for patient wait times are not the only unsettling news coming from the NHS in recent months. Earlier this year, the closure or downgrade of several emergency units was announced, based on a sustainability and transformation plan set in motion last year. The health care system has been working toward more efficiency in its operations as part of a five-year strategic plan, and a two dozen A&E units are on the chopping block as part of the initiative. This drastic change is meant to force patients to rely less on emergency departments and providers for care that could be managed in a primary care facility, ultimately releasing some of the pressure put on already stretched thin units. Consolidating care facilities is planned by staffing non-emergency facilities with GPs, and tapping into the power of recent technology to provide care options within a patient’s home. Because wait time targets include patients being seen for all varieties of illnesses and injuries, the NHS believes that putting more focus on primary care services will help A&E wait times even as several units close.
Each of these strategies is meant to empower patients to take a closer look at the way they view health care, potentially transitioning the country toward a more preventative mindset. In the process, the hope is that the operating costs of hospitals are reduced which then gives way to adding staff, increasing provider pay, and improving the way patients receive medical treatment when it is needed.
The Risk to Patient Care
Even though the shifts within the NHS and specifically the A&E space come from a good place, many are concerned the heavy focus on cost reduction will do little in the realm of patient care quality. A solicitor from a medical negligence firm that handles several accident and emergency claims each year explains that there are more factors to consider in the debate. In the last year, the rate of bed occupancies has reached an all-time high, and that results in delays across the board. Not only are current patients kept in the hospital longer than necessary due to lack of at-home or social care service availability, new patients in need of diagnosis and treatment are left waiting in the wings. Combining these issues with A&E closures means wait times for patients may not hit intended targets any time in the near future, putting patients’ health and well-being at unnecessary risk.
The rapid aging of the population and the increased number of patients seeking care each year are not easily solved issues for any country’s health care system. But the NHS’ focus on reduction of cost under the guise of improved medical care may not prove beneficial to patients in the long run. The A&E closures and downgrades currently taking place have the potential to help shift the population away from seeking urgent treatment for health issues that are less severe, but only time will tell if this transition will ultimately improve the experience patients have when utilising the health care system.
Former Thai PM Yingluck Shinawatra fled to Dubai ahead of the verdict in her trial over a rice subsidy scheme, members of her party have said.
Puea Thai Party sources said Yingluck Shinawatra left Thailand last week.
It was revealed on August 25 that Yingluck Shinawatra, who is charged with negligence, had gone abroad but the destination was not known.
When the former prime minister failed to appear in court, an arrest warrant was issued and her bail was confiscated.
Dubai is where her brother, former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, lives in self-imposed exile. He went there to avoid a 2008 jail sentence for corruption.
“We heard that she went to Cambodia and then Singapore, from where she flew to Dubai. She has arrived safely and is there now,” a senior member of the Shinawatras’ party told Reuters.
Deputy national police chief General Srivara Rangsibrahmanakul said police had no record of Yingluck Shinawatra leaving the country and were following the matter closely.
Thailand’s Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam said Yingluck Shinawatra’s location would “be clear soon”.
Judges have postponed the negligence verdict until September 27.
Yingluck Shinawatra, 50, has denied any wrongdoing in the rice subsidy scheme, which cost Thailand billions of dollars.
If found guilty at the end of the two-year trial, the former prime minister could be jailed for up to 10 years and permanently banned from politics.
Yingluck Shinawatra’s lawyer had requested a delay in the ruling, telling the Supreme Court that she had vertigo and a severe headache and was unable to attend.
However, the court said in a statement that it did not believe she was sick as there was no medical certificate, and that the alleged sickness was not severe enough to prevent her travelling to court.
The statement said: “Such behavior convincingly shows that she is a flight risk. As a result, the court has issued an arrest warrant and confiscated the posted bail money.”
Yingluck Shinawatra posted $900,000 bail at the beginning of her trial.
Thailand’s first female prime minister was impeached in 2015 over the rice scheme by a military-backed legislature, which then brought the legal case.
The scheme, part of Yingluck Shinawatra’s election campaign platform, was launched shortly after she took office.
It was aimed at boosting farmers’ incomes and alleviating rural poverty, and saw the government paying farmers nearly twice the market rate for their crop.
However, it hit Thailand’s rice exports hard, leading to a loss of at least $8 billion and huge stockpiles of rice which the government could not sell.
Though it was popular with Yingluck Shinawatra’s rural voter base, opponents said the scheme was too expensive and open to corruption.
Ex-Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio, who had been convicted of criminal contempt, has been pardoned by President Donald Trump.
Joe Arpaio, 85, was found guilty after he defied a court order to stop traffic patrols targeting suspected immigrants. He was due to be sentenced in October.
President Trump had hinted at the pardon at a rally in Phoenix on August 22.
Thanking the president, Joe Arpaio said his conviction was “a political witch hunt by holdovers in the Obama justice department”.
Joe Arpaio tweeted: “Thank you…. for seeing my conviction for what it is.”
“I’m not going away,” he said, while declining to say whether he would run for sheriff again.
President Trump has frequently praised the former sheriff, who is known for his controversial hard-line stance on immigration.
Joe Arpaio appeared on the campaign trail with President Trump in 2016 – describing him as “the law-and-order candidate”.
In a statement announcing the pardon, his first, President Trump said: “Arpaio’s life and career, which began at the age of 18 when he enlisted in the military after the outbreak of the Korean War, exemplify selfless public service.
“Throughout his time as sheriff, Arpaio continued his life’s work of protecting the public from the scourges of crime and illegal immigration.
“Sheriff Joe Arpaio is now 85 years old, and after more than 50 years of admirable service to our nation, he is a worthy candidate for a presidential pardon.”
Joe Arpaio, who styled himself as “America’s toughest sheriff”, rose to national prominence for his sweeps of undocumented immigrants in Hispanic communities, and for detaining Spanish-speakers under suspicion of being undocumented immigrants.
In July 2017, the former sheriff was found guilty of violating a 2011 order to stop detaining immigrants.
The decision to pardon the former policeman was condemned by Democrats and civil rights groups.
Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy said it was “disheartening that [the president] set the bar so very low for his first pardon”.
Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton called the move a slap in the face for the Latino community and those who had been victimized.
Joe Arpaio, who was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, could have faced six months in jail at his sentencing in October.
He served in the US military before he became a police officer – where he quickly acquired a reputation for his anti-immigration stance and tough enforcement tactics.
Joe Arpaio lost a bid for re-election in Arizona’s Maricopa County in November 2016, after 24 years in office.
He famously forced the prisoners to wear pink underwear and socks and old-fashioned black-and-white striped prison jumpsuits. The inmates lived outdoors while enduring sweltering Arizona desert temperatures.
Joe Arpaio also revived chain gangs, including a voluntary one for female prisoners.
President Trump has approved a federal aid for the worst-affected areas and praised emergency services in a tweet: “You are doing a great job – the world is watching! Be safe.”
Texas Governor Greg Abbott warned of record flooding in multiple regions after Harvey made a double landfall: north-east of the city of Corpus Christi initially, then just north of Rockport a few hours later.
Rockport, normally home to about 10,000 people, appears to have been the hardest hit. Emergency services there say a number of buildings have suffered structural damage.
Images posted on social media show collapsed trees and houses.
North Korean missile tests often come in response to South Korean military exercises involving the US.
Thousands of US and South Korean troops are currently taking part in joint military drills, which are mainly largely computer-simulated exercises.
The projectiles were launched at 06:49 on August 26, South Korea’s defense ministry said.
The US military initially reported that two of the missiles had failed but, according to its later assessment, one appears to have blown up almost immediately while two flew about 155 miles in a north-easterly direction.
The launches were spread over a period of 30 minutes, an official said.
The South Korean defense ministry said: “The military is keeping a tight surveillance over the North to cope with further provocations.”
President Donald Trump has signed a memo restoring a military ban on transgender people, which was lifted under President Barack Obama.
The memo also ceases the use of government funds for gender-reassignment surgery for active personnel.
However, President Trump left Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to decide whether to retain existing transgender recruits.
The reinstated ban, justified on grounds of cost and disruption, faces a legal challenge by transgender rights activists.
Jennifer Levi, an official at Glad (GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders), said in a statement: “This policy is a shameful slap in the face to people who put their lives on the line everyday to defend our country…
“We are moving quickly with our plaintiffs to see that a court puts a stop to this latest demonstration of President Trump playing politics with people’s lives.”
Between 4,000 and 10,000 US active-duty and reserve service members are believed to be transgender.
After the Obama administration announced in 2016 that transgender people would be allowed to serve openly in the military, many active duty members came out.
The memo was widely anticipated following the president’s tweets about the issue last month.
President Trump directed the military to “return to the longstanding policy and practice on military service by transgender individuals prior to June 2016”.
Donald Trump suggested that President Obama had not thought through whether the policy would “hinder military effectiveness and lethality, [or] disrupt unit cohesion”.
The president said he had done the Pentagon a “great favor” by banning transgender troops, saying the issue had been “complicated” and “confusing” for the military.
The Obama-era policy had included a provision for the military to provide medical help for service members wanting to change gender.
In his memo, President Trump directed the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security to stop using government funds for gender-reassignment procedures unless it was necessary .
Hurricane Harvey, which may be the worst storm to hit the US mainland in 12 years, is expected to make landfall on Texas’ central coast late on Friday or early Saturday.
The hurricane is currently a category two storm in the Gulf of Mexico.
Harvey may bring 35in of rain, 130mph winds and 12ft storm surges, say forecasters.
At 10:00 AM local time, the eye of Harvey was about 115 miles south-east of the Texas coastal city of Corpus Christi, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. It had sustained winds of 110mph.
Harvey – which has been gaining strength – is likely to strike at the heart of Texas’s oil refining industry.
Oil-rich Houston, the fourth biggest city in the US, could face up to 20in of rain over the coming days, officials there said.
Meteorologists are warning of extremely high volumes of rainfall as the storm stalls over the middle Texas coast.
They say Hurricane Harvey could remain in the area, dumping rain until the middle of next week.
On top of that, the central Texas coast is likely to see a significant storm surge – this happens when low pressure at sea “lifts” tides to a level higher than normal, up to 12ft in this case, and high winds then blow the water in land.
Image source Wikimedia
The NHC said it expected “catastrophic flooding” across the coast and in some inland areas throughout south-east Texas.
Energy companies have been evacuating staff from offshore platforms in the Gulf of Mexico.
Texan oil refineries on land are also shutting down in preparation for the storm. As a result, US fuel prices have reached a three-week high.
Joe McComb, mayor of Corpus Christi, a coastal city of more than 300,000 people, urged householders to take the warnings seriously and evacuate low-lying areas.
“I hope people will listen to forecasters when they say <<beware of flash floods>>,” he said.
“Flash floods can come quickly, and they can be deadly.”
According to the NHC, the wind speed is currently almost 110mph, though gusts are even stronger.
On August 25, the NWS said it expected Harvey to make landfall as a Category Three hurricane, out of a maximum of five.
If it does, Harvey will be the strongest to hit the US since October 2005, when Hurricane Wilma struck the coast of Florida.
Hurricane Wilma left 87 people dead, and was part of a record-breaking hurricane season that included Katrina, which devastated New Orleans and killed nearly 2,000 people in August of that year.
Border controls have been tightened in Thailand after former PM Yingluck Shinawatra failed to show up for the verdict in her trial over a rice subsidy scheme.
Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan said it was possible the former prime minister had already fled the country.
Lawyers for Yingluck Shinawatra, who is charged with negligence, said she was unable to attend court because she was ill.
However, the Supreme Court issued an arrest warrant for her, confiscated her bail of $900,000 and delayed the verdict to September 27.
Yingluck Shinawatra has denied any wrongdoing in the scheme which cost Thailand billions of dollars. If found guilty, she could be jailed for up to 10 years and permanently banned from politics.
On August 25, PM Prayuth Chan-ocha said all routes out of Thailand were being closely monitored.
“I just learned that she did not show up [at court],” he told reporters.
“I have ordered border checkpoints to be stepped up.”
Prawit Wongsuwan initially said he had no information on Yingluck Shinawatra’s whereabouts but as he left a meeting in Bangkok he said: “It is possible that she has fled already.”
Earlier, Yingluck Shinawatra’s lawyer requested a delay in the ruling, telling the court that she had vertigo and a severe headache and was unable to attend.
However, an official Supreme Court statement said it did not believe she was sick as there was no medical certificate and that the claimed sickness was not severe enough that she could not travel to court.
“Such behavior convincingly shows that she is a flight risk. As a result, the court has issued an arrest warrant and confiscated the posted bail money,” the statement said.
Yingluck Shinawatra’s brother, controversial former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, lives in exile after fleeing the country in 2008 to evade a jail term for corruption.
Today’s turn of events took many by surprise, including the hundreds of people who turned up outside the Supreme Court in Bangkok to support Yingluck Shinawatra.
Some supporters outside the court expressed understanding.
Yingluck Shinawatra, who became Thailand’s first female prime minister in 2011, was impeached in 2015 over the rice scheme by a military-backed legislature, which then brought the legal case.
The scheme, part of her election campaign platform, launched shortly after she took office.
It was aimed at boosting farmers’ incomes and alleviating rural poverty, and saw the government paying farmers nearly twice the market rate for their crop.
However, the measure hit Thailand’s rice exports hard, leading to a loss of at least $8 billion and huge stockpiles of rice which the government could not sell.
Though popular with her rural voter base, opponents said the scheme was too expensive and open to corruption.
During her trial, Yingluck Shinawatra had argued she was not responsible for the day-to-day running of the scheme. She has insisted she is a victim of political persecution.
Samsung’s heir-apparent Lee Jae-yong has been sentenced to five years in prison for corruption.
He was accused of bribery in a scandal that also saw the impeachment of South Korea’s former president, Park Geun-hye.
The case has gripped the public amid growing anger against South Korea’s biggest companies, known as chaebols.
Lee Jae-yong, who denied all charges, had faced a jail sentence of up to 12 years.
The 49-year-old, also known as Jay Y. Lee, the de facto head of Samsung, the world’s largest smartphone maker, had been detained since February on a string of corruption charges.
These included including bribery, embezzlement and hiding assets overseas.
Lee Jae-yong was accused of giving donations worth 41 billion won ($36 million) to non-profit foundations operated by Choi Soon-sil, a friend of South Korea’s former President Park Geun-hye, in return for political favors.
Prosecutors said the donations were made to Park Geun-hye’s confidante to win government support for a big restructuring of Samsung that would strengthen Lee Jae-yong’s control over Samsung Electronics.
A lawyer for Lee Jae-yonghas said already said they will appeal against the decision.
“We are confident the ruling will be overturned,” lawyer Song Wu-cheol told reporters after the ruling, according to Reuters.
Nevertheless this ruling represents a huge blow to South Korea’s biggest and most well-known business empire. Since the verdict, Samsung shares fell by 1%.
Lee Jae-yong’s conviction raises questions about his leadership of the conglomerate. He has been standing in as chairman since his father, Lee Kun-hee, suffered a heart attack in 2014.
The Samsung scandal contributed to President Park Geun-hye’s eventual impeachment. Park Geun-hye’s friend, Choi Soon-sil, has already been jailed for three years for corruption.
She said she had picked her lucky numbers based on relatives’ birthdays.
Mavis Wanczyk said of her 32-year job at a medical center: “I’ve called them and told them I will not be going back.”
She added that she was “going to go hide in my bed”.
Reporters asked if she had plans to treat herself to something nice, such as a fancy new car.
Mavis Wanczyk replied she just bought a new car less than a year ago, and now plans to pay it off in full.
One lottery officials described her as “your prototypical Massachusetts resident”.
He added that Mavis Wanczyk seems like “a hard-working individual” and “clearly she’s excited”.
The $50,000 prize awarded to the business that sells the winning numbers will be donated to charity, said Pride petrol station owner Bob Bolbuc.
The jackpot payout, which can be made in 29 yearly payments or a lump sum, is estimated to be about $443 million.
Powerball Product Group chairman Charlie McIntyre said in a statement that six other tickets – sold in Connecticut, Illinois, Louisiana, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and the Virgin Islands – won $2 million each.
Another 34 tickets across the US scooped $1 million.
Massachusetts lottery officials initially said the jackpot ticket was sold at a convenience store in the Boston suburb of Watertown, but corrected the location on August 24.
It is not clear how the error was made.
Odds of winning the jackpot are one in 292.2 million.
The ministry said in a statement: “The objective of the measure is to attract new investments, generating wealth for the country and employment and income for society, always based on the precepts of sustainability.”
However, opposition Senator Randolfe Rodrigues denounced the move as “the biggest attack on the Amazon of the last 50 years”, O Globo newspaper reported.
Maurício Voivodic, head of the conservation body WWF in Brazil, warned last month that mining in the area would lead to “demographic explosion, deforestation, the destruction of water resources, the loss of biodiversity and the creation of land conflict”.
According to the WWF report, the main area of interest for copper and gold exploration is in one of the protected areas, the Biological Reserve of Maicuru.
There is also said to be gold in the Para State forest, which lies within the area.
The WWF says there is potential for conflict too in two indigenous reserves that are home to various ethnic communities living in relative isolation.
WWF’s report said that a “gold rush in the region could create irreversible damage to these cultures”.
Chicago police have reportedly confiscated more than 5,000 guns in the city since the beginning of the year. The city, faced with rising gun and violent crime issues, has focused police efforts on making the streets of Chicago safer. So far this year, these efforts have resulted in 32 percent more gun-related arrests than last year. As police get tough on gun crime and violent crime it is important to understand Illinois’ gun laws. Legitimate gun owners can get caught up in the crackdown on violent crime if they are not up to date on the most recent gun laws.
Who Can Buy and Own a Gun in Illinois?
Illinois requires that anyone who is interested in purchasing a gun or ammunition goes through a vetting process. Illinois residents who are interested in purchasing a gun must successfully apply for a Firearms Owner’s Identification Card (FOID). The FOID will be granted to Illinois residents over the age of 21 (or adults over the age of 18 with written parental consent) who meet certain safety criteria. FOIDs may only be issued if the applicant:
Has never been convicted of a felony;
Is not addicted to narcotics;
Has not been a patient in a mental health facility in the past 5 years (unless written certification for approval is provided);
Has not been involuntarily admitted to a mental health facility;
Is not intellectually or developmentally disabled;
Is not an illegal alien;
Is not subject to an existing order of protection;
Has not been convicted of certain crimes in which a gun was used (e.g., battery, assault, violation of an order of protection); and
Has not been convicted of a crime of domestic violence after 2012.
There are other circumstances under which an Illinois resident may be denied the FOID. A complete list can be found here. Generally, if you are over the age of 21 and have no criminal record or history of mental health issues you should have no issues with the FOID application.
Once the FOID is granted, Illinois residents have a fairly easy path to gun ownership. When purchasing a gun or ammunition, a buyer must show a valid FOID. There is a mandatory 72-hour waiting period for handguns and a 24-hour waiting period for other firearms, including shotguns and rifles. These waiting periods, however, do not apply to guns purchased at gun shows.
Is Concealed Carry Legal in Illinois?
In Illinois, it is generally illegal to carry or possess a concealed firearm without a license. There are exceptions to this rule. You are permitted to conceal the presence of a firearm when you are on your own land, in your own home, or in your fixed place of business. You are also permitted to transport weapons to and from target ranges and while hunting, trapping, or fishing with a license. Licensed weapons must be broken down and non-functioning during transit, unloaded, and kept in a location that is not immediately accessible. Locked firearm carrying cases, containers, and trunks are generally accepted locations.
Illinois residents may, however, apply for a concealed carry permit. The Illinois concealed carry permit expands gun owner’s rights and privileges. To apply for a concealed carry permit, Illinois residents over the age of 21 must be fingerprinted and complete at least 16 hours of training. Illinois residents who have been convicted of certain crimes, are the subject of a pending criminal matter, or have been in drug or alcohol treatment program within 5 years of the application will be disqualified.
Can You Still Get In Trouble If You Have All of the Required Licenses?
Yes. Generally, Illinois residents who have both the FOID and a concealed carry permit generally enjoy the ability to own and carry a weapon freely. However, lawful gun owners must still abide by Illinois criminal and gun-specific laws and regulations. According to Chicago criminal defense attorney Gus Kostopoulos, “Illinois has some detailed and complex gun ownership laws. Those laws, which can limit when and where you can carry a gun, are constantly changing.” Reflecting back on his own practice, Mr. Kostopolous explains that it Illinois law makes it easy for legitimate gun owners to get caught up in legal trouble. “A concealed carry permit does not mean that you can bring a gun with you anywhere. The list of places where concealed carry is irrelevant is constantly growing. It is important to stay on top of these changes to make sure that you don’t mistakenly bring a firearm somewhere it is illegal to have one.”
Bars or any restaurant with significant alcohol sales;
Zoos, stadiums, and museums; and
Permitted festivals and parades.
See how this could be tricky? For example, in Illinois, it is illegal to carry a firearm in any restaurant that attributes more than 50% of its sales to alcohol. You probably don’t know the revenue breakdown of each restaurant in Chicago. If you walk into the wrong place for dinner while carrying your gun you could face some serious consequences. Having a gun in a bar (or qualifying restaurant) is a Class 4 Felony. While you may not be the primary target of a crackdown on gun crime, you could certainly wind up in the middle of it.
What Should You Do If You Are Arrested on a Gun Possession Charge?
The first thing you should do after an arrest is contact an experienced Chicago criminal defense attorney. As the Chicago police continue to crack down on gun crimes it is possible for legitimate gun owners to stumble into legal trouble. It is important to understand your rights as a gun owner. This knowledge can help you and your attorney fight any criminal charges you may face.
