Actress Emma Rigby watches as Dima Konchoro receives her oil ration during a food distribution excercise in Bubisa, Marsabit, on 22nd June 2017 that was organised by CAFOD's partner Caritas Marsabit. Each family received rations of rice, beans cooking oil and sugar.

Mareeg.com-CAFOD celebrity ambassador Emma Rigby has just returned to the U.K following a visit to Northern Kenya to see how money raised from the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) and CAFODs East Africa Crisis Appeal, have been used to support the millions of people living in the region who are in urgent need of food and water due to devastating drought.

Through no fault of their own, the drought has caused people to lose their entire livelihoods livestock cattle, goats, camels which they are utterly dependent upon for their survival, said Ms. Rigby, 27.

On an emotional five-day trip, the ex- Hollyoaks actress, visited remote parts of northern Kenya, travelling with CAFOD and its local Caritas aid workers, to see how they deliver emergency aid to vulnerable families.

Visiting the Daaba community in Isiolo, she saw how a mobile nutrition clinic, was a life-line to mothers and their malnourished children.

Father Stephen Murage, director of Caritas Isiolo, who accompanied Emma, told her:

We never give up, whether the fourth, fifth, sixth drought, we never give up. We cant stand by and let people suffer. We must respond. Responding creates hope in peoples hearts. When people see Caritas, they find the strength to carry on, to survive.

Travelling further north, from Isiolo to Marsabit, Ms. Rigby saw urgently needed food being distributed to the community in Bubisa.

I met amazing women who, somehow, had found the will and the spirit to survive, said Emma.

She saw the dignified approach with whichCAFODs local Caritas aid workers from Caritas Marsabit, delivered vital food aid to 3,000 people each village representative collects the food aid and distributes it amongst the families in their village rather than queueing for hoursto receive their sacks of food, the village group sits together, and divides up the food aid, according to the needs of each family.

Emma continued: Here the community decided, with Caritas Marsabit, on a better way to distribute food aid, that didnt involve queuing, but did involve the participation of the community in their village groups.

What might seem a small detail to me or you, meant so much to the mainly women I met, they told me they felt in control, and their dignity had been restored.

The UN estimates that 23 million people across South Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia and northern Kenya are in need of humanitarian assistance, and wherehalf a million children under five are at risk of dying fromsevere acute malnutritionand requireimmediate life-saving treatment.

The DEC East Africa Crisis Appeal has raised 60 million, three months on from its appeal launch in March; and CAFODs own appeal has raised almost 4 million, to tackle the hunger crisis with local solutions.

Aid is reaching people suffering a humanitarian crisis in parts of East Africa, but ongoing drought and conflict are making the situation worse.CAFOD and its local Caritas aid agencies, continue to urgently support those hit by the devastating drought across East Africa. Emma, set to star in ITVsEndeavourthis autumn, said:

Three months may have passed by since this crisis hit the media headlines, but the needs are still great, the effect of this drought is not over.

CAFOD and its local aid workers are doing invaluable work providing aid where its needed most.

Ive learned that the aid I saw being delivered is more than just aid, it truly gives people a sense of hope and restores dignity.

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Emma Rigby visits Northern Kenya 3 months on from the East Africa crisis appeal - Mareeg Media

Rob McLennan / 03 July 2017

His alleged attacker will face charges including intentionally and recklessly causing injury when he faces court in August.

The 21-year-old will be charged on summons.

Ivanovik is serving 18 years for the shooting murder of a motorcyclist outside the Ivanovic family home in Brunswick in 2002.

He has been linked to Matthew Johnson, another Barwon inmate currently serving 32-years for the brutal killing of Carl Williams in 2010.

Ivanovic was one of the last people to see Williams alive.

He was in the same cell block as Williams when Johnson clubbed him to death with the stem of an excercise bike seat.

Ivanovic has completed his minimum term of 15 years and is believed to be eligible for parole.

A cable technician will be behind bars at least seven years after he fatally stabbed a Hoppers Crossing man during a botched drug deal. Nuri...

Cats CEO Brian Cook has a busy time ahead of him after taking on a new role. The 61-year-old has been named as the new chairman of Barwon Health....

A teenager who fatally stabbed a man at a 15th birthday party in Norlane could be out of jail in less than five years. The 18-year-old, who cannot...

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Inmate charged over prison stabbing - Bay 93.9

July 3, 2017 6:30 AM EDT

(Corrected July 3, 2017 6:35 AM EDT )

Good morning! This is Fly Charts, the daily charts-only newsletter from Gadfly; sign up here. From boosted bank dividends to bond buoyancy, here are four charts that tell you what you need to know in business today.

Berkshire Makes Bank

Source: Bloomberg Note: Data reflect closing prices as of June 29 *Goldman has not provided updated dividend figures post stress-tests

Record Pace

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Turning Around

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M&A Went Away

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And don't missMarcus Ashworth on Europe's bond-market tantrum: "Friday's fixed-income selloff misses the fact that nothing fundamental has happened on the economic data front, or even politically -- we've just been talked at by central bankers getting in their 'we warned you' excuses on overpriced assets. As Gadfly argued Thursday, clouds hanging over the economic and inflation outlook mean there's no realistic prospect of a change in monetary policy."

Note: There will be no Fly Charts newsletter on Tuesday July 4 or Wednesday July 5. We'll be back in your inbox on Thursday!

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Bloomberg LP and its owners.

(A previous version of this story was updated to correct spelling of Warren Buffett.)

To contact the author of this story: Max Nisen in New York at mnisen@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Mark Gongloff at mgongloff1@bloomberg.net

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Fly Charts: Warren Buffett's Good Mood and Organic Activism - Bloomberg

Fruits and vegetables continue to lead the way in organic food sales, but proteins and condiments made big gains in 2016.

The U.S. organic industry maintained steady growth in 2016, with food sales increasing 8.4 percent to $43 billion breaking the $40 billion mark for the first time.

The sizable growth is even more impressive considering total food sales increased only 0.6 percent.

Organic food now accounts for 5.3 percent of all food sales in the U.S., another significant first for the organic sector, according to the Organic Trade Association in its 2016 Organic Industry Survey, conducted by the Nutrition Business Journal this spring.

Organic non-food sales also posted robust growth, increasing 8.8 percent to $3.9 billion, far surpassing the 0.8 percent growth in all non-food sales of comparable items, such as textiles, supplements and personal care items.

The organic industry continues to be a real bright spot in the food and agriculture economy, both at the farm gate and the check-out counter, said Laura Batcha, OTA chief executive officer, in the associations executive summary of the survey.

The robust industry continues to gain ground, gaining market share and making its way into new channels such as convenience and drug stores, foodservice and the internet.

Organic fruits and vegetables held onto the top position in the organic line-up with $15.6 billion in sales, 36.3 percent of all organic food sales. Those sales were 8.4 percent higher year over year, more than double the 3.3 percent growth in their non-organic counterparts, and now account for 15 percent of all produce sales.

Organic meat and poultry sales shot up 17 percent to $991 million for the categorys biggest gain ever. Meat and poultry is one of the smallest organic food categories, but organic poultry moved beyond many years of supply shortages and grew at a rate of 23 percent compared with 9.2 percent in 2015.

The other smallest category, condiments, is not a headliner but is showing interesting trends, according to OTA.

Dips and spices both hit home runs, recording the highest growth rates within the food categories, OTA reported. Organic dips posted 41 percent growth in 2016 with $57 million in sales, and sales of organic spices increased 35 percent to $193 million.

The survey did note oversupply in produce, poultry, dairy and eggs in 2016. The change in the organic marketplace from undersupply to oversupply simply exemplified the ebb and flow of supply and demand as the industry grows, OTA stated.

The biggest challenge is how to grow at a rate that allows for farmers to be paid fairly for the extra work they do in organic while also assuring stability of supply, shortage versus glut, spikes in prices versus drops in prices, said Matt Dillon, Clif Bars director of agricultural policy and programs.

Growth in the organic sector also continues to translate into jobs across the supply chain, OTA stated.

More than 65 percent of organic farms sold product in wholesale markets in 2016, and more than 60 percent of organic businesses with more than five employees reported an increase in full-time employment with plans to continue increasing staff in 2017.

Organic offers in many cases the choice for growth and more viable, stable prices for farmers and food manufacturers, Batcha said.

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Organic food sales jump 8.4 percent in 2016 - Capital Press

Mike Fuentes | Bloomberg | Getty Images

A container of Stonyfield yogurt sits on a shelf in the organic foods section at a Publix grocery store in Boca Raton, Florida.

French food group Danone has agreed to sell its U.S dairy business Stonyfield to Lactalis for $875 million, a move designed to address competition concerns stemming from its acquisition of U.S. organic food group WhiteWave.

Danone said on Monday that Stonyfield had around $370 million in turnover in 2016, and that the sale price represented a multiple of around 20 times the 2016 earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) for Stonyfield.

Danone shares were up 1 percent in mid-session trading, in line with a similar rise on the CAC-40 index of French blue chips stocks.

"The sale price appears reasonable and we expect proceeds would reduce leverage largely offsetting dilution from the disposal," Liberum analysts wrote in a research note.

"Danone remains on track to deliver 10 percent 5-year CAGR (compound annual growth rate) driven in part by WhiteWave and significant savings from the 1 billion euros Project Protein efficiency program," they added.

Danone's 'Project Protein' savings program, unveiled earlier this year, aims to cut costs by 1 billion euros over the next three years.

Jefferies analysts added that the Stonyfield sale was "a decent exit and the removal of a potential distraction for Danone."

Earlier this year, Danone had said it would sell Stonyfield as part of an agreement with U.S. authorities to facilitate its takeover of WhiteWave.

The deal is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2017.

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France's Danone to sell Stonyfield to Lactalis for $875 million - CNBC

America, which staked out its independence 241 years ago, is undergoing a new revolution of sorts, as consumers across the country opt for healthier meals.

In a country where people love to eat, quinoa, kale and grass-fed meats are fast becoming the normeven during July 4, which doubles as an unofficial eating holiday. In this environment, craft beers and infused water are supplanting Budweisers and sodas.

"There's a major shift going on," said Robert Moskow, an analyst at Credit Suisse. "Whole Foods ushered in a much broader array of options for the consumer that was more organic, more natural, more locally sourced. It ended up educating the consumer on what's going into the food and making them more selective and more sophisticated."

The shift hasn't come without sacrifices: It costs a lot more money to eat healthier. Consumers opting for more organic, locally sourced groceries can end up paying drastically more than their traditional food varieties.

"We as a species are now used to having our cake and eating it too," said Greg Fleishman, CEO and co-founder of Purely Righteous Brands, a consultancy that advises companies on green growth.

As a result, "people are willing to pay a premium for that kind of quality assurance," Moskow said.

As Americans fire up the grill to celebrate Independence Day, CNBC used data from Nielsen and the Beverage Marketing Corporation to figure out how much it costs to swap out classic ingredients for more health-conscious substitutes. In some cases, substituted items can end up costing almost twice as much.

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Here are the cost differences for 6 organic July 4 BBQ foods alternatives - CNBC

Community News

Jul 2, 2017

Swimmers take a break at Nellie Martins water aerobics class.

Nellie Martin, 84, has been an enthusiastic and valued volunteer water aerobics instructor at the Kihei community pool since the day it opened 18 years ago, according to her daughter, Shirley Martin and swimmers Maribeth and Jack Klobuchar.

She is a songsmith with a large repertoire of songs that she uses to keep the activities light and fun.

Martin encourages her swimmers to sing, harmonize and joke along with her as she leads them through a full circuit of exercises.

By the end of each class, participants have limbered up, worked their cardiovascular system and strengthened muscles. Elbows, elbows, back, back.

Martin teaches in the shallow pool area three days per week Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. Adults of all ages are welcome. The group size varies from 25 to about 50 during the high season.

An artists representation of Martin, the singing water aerobics instructor.

Men are welcome too there are more than 15 who participate.

Sing or hum along with Nellie its all good, said swimmers Maribeth and Jack Klobuchar. She is a vibrant, zippy lady of 84 years who has boundless energy. Nellie is such a treasure to the Kihei community.

SEABURY HALL Middle School Fourth Quarter Headmasters List 3.7-Plus Grade-Point Average Grade 7 Alara ...

The Maui Filipino Chamber of Commerce Foundation presented its 2017 scholarships at the chambers annual Gintong ...

John Junk Sr. (from left), David Robinson, Larry Stubblefield and Shane Stubblefield were among the golfers who ...

Lillie Bell Spearman of Molokai turned 100 on May 16. Her family and friends celebrated her birthday on June 10 ...

Erik Svetin, a Molokai High School student, completed organizing and proctoring his final math competition for ...

The Napili Kai Foundation awarded its 2017 scholarship awards, totaling $21,000, on May 30, at the conclusion of a ...

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Songsmith makes water aerobics light and fun - Maui News

It is also the first Jay-Z album in a decade that doesnt pretend to be competing in the present moment. It is the sound of a 47-year-old aesthete working at his own pace, dismantling his facade and reminding himself of all the natural poignancy that the bluster has been obscuring.

I fall short of what I say Im all about, he says on the title track, his apology to his wife, Beyonc, for the indiscretions that led her to publicly shame him. The album begins with Kill Jay Z, an extended tsk-tsk to himself. You cant heal what you never reveal, he raps. You know you owe the truth/ To all the youth that fell in love with Jay-Z.

And so the confessions, or certainly what appear to be confessions, pour out.

Yes, he cheated on Beyonc (the title track, among others); yes, hes tried therapy (Smile); yes, he stabbed the executive Lance Rivera back in 1999 (Kill Jay Z); yes, his fathers side of the family was darkened by abuse (Legacy); yes, his mother is gay, and was in the closet for decades (Smile); yes, hes fed up with Kanye Wests scattershot antics (Kill Jay Z, among others).

That is, assuming everything here is true, and not just the second installment of a multi-album musicanovela in which he and his wife portray bitter lovers bound together by fate, fame and farce.

Jay-Z has been this candid before, but never quite this naked. These arent stories told to fortify a magisterial image but rather the exhale of a long-held breath.

In some plain narrative ways, 4:44 is a companion piece to Beyoncs Lemonade. On the title track, Jay-Z is vividly self-critical: Ive seen the innocence leave your eyes/ I still mourn this death, he tells his wife.

But the two albums also share an emphasis on black self-sufficiency on Lemonade, the argument was sociopolitical; here, its largely financial. On The Story of O. J., Jay-Z raps about cross-generational wealth passing his art collection down to his children with the same fervor and lyrical gambit he once used to rap about amassing personal wealth (on U Dont Know, in 2001). The kingpin is now just a vessel for tomorrows dreams.

The whole of 4:44 was produced by No I.D., who produced much of Commons essential work, and who prepared a sample-driven, skin-and-bones, slightly greasy palette for Jay-Z to rap over. Most of the album hovers between 80-90 beats per minute, but feels slower, thanks to the way No I.D. foregoes crispness in favor of beats that slur, drag and bleed. Theres also patina on the vocals. Nothing gleams not the beats, not the words, not the feelings.

The relative sparseness acts as suction: There are barely any distractions. Its almost like an unplugged album, a kind of platonic raw course of rapper, producer, sample and beat. In places, it suggests a bare-bones counterpoint to one of Jay-Zs masterworks, The Blueprint, from 2001, which relied on the steroidal soul-informed production of Mr. West and Just Blaze to echo Jay-Z at his most conceited.

Ornamentation has long served Jay-Z well, so the lack of glamour here is striking. Part of the thrill of listening to him has been how lustrously he paints the unattainable. That underneath it all is a man full of regret is both obvious and, at times, a bit deflating. When he laments not investing in the now-redeveloped Brooklyn neighborhood Dumbo on The Story of O. J., its not clever, just a gripe. And one delivered without much flair.

The qualities that made Jay-Z one of raps true savants were his sly wit and the way he threaded himself into the production few rappers have found more creative ways to disperse their syllables, and sounded tougher and less fatigued while doing it. The Jay-Z of 4:44 isnt quite there. Hes evolved from dazzling taunts to ruminations that are sometimes snappy and sometimes lumpy. When snappy, though, theyre exhilarating, like the opening of Caught Their Eyes, which has the snarl Jay-Z arrived with fully formed on his 1996 debut album, Reasonable Doubt: I survived reading guys like you/ Im surprised yall think yall can disguise yall truths.

At this stage of his career, though, keeping up with the Migos would be a fools task. Hes a veteran, and it shows: On three songs, hes baffled about how the younger generation uses Instagram as a tool of exaggerated street theater. And while the Jay-Z of 10 years ago would have been improvising his way through Young Thug and Playboi Carti anti-flows both as an exercise in hubris and also competitive vim, theres none of that here.

Rather, he makes a strong case for artistically aging by drilling down to core principles. As albums of late-career reckoning go, 4:44 isnt quite Gaye or Sinatra or Cash, but its on the path. Uncomfortable truths unearthed, demons shouted down, process refined even when everything melts away, you can still be ice-cold.

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Jay-Z Revels in the Catharsis of Confession on '4:44' - New York Times

Written by Siddhartha S | Singapore | Published:July 2, 2017 8:41 pm You just need to find the form of meditation to which you can relate to the most. (Source: Thinkstock Images)

I am yet to meet a working professional who does not like to take a shower or brush teeth before coming to office. Yes, sometimes crazy working hours or sub-zero winter temperatures may occasionally make us miss these necessary daily rituals, but I am sure there is no need for me to establish the importance of personal hygiene.

However, it surprises me a lot that such little importance is given to what is happening inside the human body other than the sensations of hunger or pain. People now consider stress, anxiety, anger issues and panic attacks as normal happenings in life. I do not wish to use statistics as a crutch to establish the need for internal emotional cleansing. There are ample of studies by reputed medical institutes published in world famous journals which prove that meditation is even more powerful than medication for sound emotional health.

Five benefits in your work life if you meditate.

I will not prescribe you any particular kind of meditation because all of them are effective. Do not let your untrained mind give you excuses like lack of knowledge and proper technique is the reason why you cannot meditate. Buy a book on the subject of meditation or read a dozen of articles on the Internet and then you are all set to start. If your employer does not sponsor a meditation class for you, you can do it yourself. It is free, easy to do and a great habit that you must gift yourself.

You just need to find the form of meditation to which you can relate to the most. I follow a combination of mindfulness, thoughtlessness, gratitude-based meditation, deep diaphragm breathing and concentration exercises.

You can read books and watch videos online about each of these techniques and adopt the one which works best for you. I would only like to prescribe a minimum duration of 30 minutes per day to start with. You can meditate in a standing posture, seated position or in the most crowded places but make sure you do not compromise your physical safety. Allow me to share certain professional benefits that you can manifest in your life through the habit of meditation. I can vouch for these benefits because I have personally experienced them in one way or the other.

A mind conditioned through meditation always responds to a situation calmly rather than reacting to it. The nasty client email or a rude email from a colleague will not blow your mind easily. You will now operate from a position of planned response rather than an unplanned execution. It is a powerful position to be in and very useful skill for business leaders. Your inner wisdom will navigate you to choose better projects and colleagues to work with.

There are various forms of meditation techniques that can unleash your creativity. One of them is the constant questioning method. I always calmly command myself what is the best, fastest and most effective way to complete my work. The fact that I communicate with my inner self through questions, it comes up with a lot of creative answers. As spooky as it may sound, but meditation grants you access to collective consciousness of the world. You will get strangely powerful ideas which you cannot attribute to your own knowledge seeking efforts. It is the universal consciousness sending you signals to improve your life. Be receptive and open to these creative sources.

People who meditate are very choosy about their professional battles. They know that some issues and people should be avoided rather than confronted. They have understood the futility of micromanagement in life and intervene only when the stakes are high and when action is the best plan. As a result, they are quiet beings who do not mess up their relationships or annoy people around them. Some people will always be annoyed with you even if you do not do anything. However, most of the bad relationships at work are a result of an ugly confrontation, a poorly worded email or phone call made with a rude tone. Meditation can help you direct and channellise your anger on issues rather than people. You will attack wrong behaviour rather than people and your relationships will get better in a significant manner.

When you practise mindfulness or thoughtlessness, you reach a state of now. You fall in love with action and do not get anxious about the results or outcome. This is the age old concept of work-therapy or living in a state of flow. When you learn to still your mind through certain breathing techniques, you take charge of your attention and the number of distractions in your professional life decrease too. You understand the difference between urgent and important and engage in high impact tasks. Your productivity zooms up and you get more accomplished in a day than most people do in that time frame.

Meditation releases energy of calmness and positivity that can be harnessed at your workplace. After every 1 hour at work, I take 10 deep breaths and exhale any negativity or stress which might have built up during the past one hour. Just takes a couple of minutes but it keeps me super productive for the hour. While coming back from work, I use certain breathing techniques to release any kind of stress and negativity that I might have unknowingly accumulated inside my mind. As surprising as it may sound, but I feel energetic and charged up at the end of the day too.

Meditation is one practice that I prescribe to all my readers and seminar participants because it has no side-effects. It clears your mind and oxygenates the body. Meditation is not just meant for the monks of the Himalayas. The truth is they need it less than us who live a professional life full of targets, deadlines and challenging situations.

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Working It Out: Why meditation is a new must for professionals? - The Indian Express

Plainclothes police visit a branch of the Sathya Sai Baba sect on Koh Phangan in Surat Thani province on Sunday as part of the investigation into the death of Belgian tourist Elise Dallemagne. (Photo by Supapong Chaolan)

KOH PHANGAN, SURAT THANI - Police searched an ashram affiliated with a religious cult on Sunday as part of a wider investigation into the death of a Belgian tourist on neighbouring Koh Tao.

When police from Koh Phangan station arrived at the ashram, a branch of the Sathya Sai Baba cult, they found only two Indian members on the premises.

Koh Phangan police chief Pol Col Somchai Noppasri said the two Indians told the investigators that Raaman Andreas, a German who is the sect leader on Koh Phangan, left for Sri Lanka and India two months ago. They did not know when he will return, he added.

Police believe Elise Dallemagne was a devotee of the Indian sect but have not yet linked it with her death.

Pol Maj Gen Chalit Thinthanee, the deputy of the Provincial Police Region 8, on Sunday again asked Mr Andreas to help police clear up the mysterious circumstances of her death.

Dallemagne was found dead, reportedly hanging from a tree with a rope around her neck, in jungle terrain above Koh Tao's Tanote bay on April 27. Police ruled that the 30-year-old Belgian committed suicide, and the autopsies substantiated the ruling.

Police on Koh Tao returned to Tanote bay to look for additional evidence and check CCTV footage at a shop nearby. The video showed Dallemagne visiting the shop on April 21 to buy plain rice and a ferry ticket for April 24.

The Belgian checked into Triple B Bungalows on April 19. She abruptly left the resort on the same night after a fire which, according to the owner, started in her hut before spreading to other bungalows.

The footage seen by police on Sunday confirmed that she went to Tanote bay after the fire.

After her story was run on the Samui Times, an online outlet, police reopened their investigation. They have questioned more than 15 people -- ranging from staff at the bungalow to ferry crew members -- in bid to end speculation about her death.

Crime Suppression Division police from Bangkok were sent to the resort island to assist local police.

Pol Col Wichorb Kerdkliang, the deputy police chief of Surat Thani, said about 10 more people remain to be questioned, and they hope to complete the questioning process on Monday.

Police will review the evidenceand study the autopsy reports before reaching a conclusion on the case.

"So far investigators and police from Koh Tao and Koh Phangan police stations have not found anything that suggests a murder motive or the involvement of anyone else in the death or Dallemagne," Pol Col Wichorb said.

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Police search ashram for clues on Koh Tao death - Bangkok Post