World Cup highlights Asia's illegal betting boom

HONG KONG -- As teams battle for football glory at the World Cup in Brazil, the biggest winners from the tournament may be illegal bookmakers in Asia.

Since kickoff, Chinese officer worker Chen has already wagered 2,000-3,000 yuan ($320-$480) through black market online bookies and plans to gamble more on big upcoming games.

Chen, who started betting on sports that also include NBA games four years ago, said that during the previous World Cup in South Africa he bet 115,000 yuan ($18,500) in a single day on three different games — a huge sum for the average Chinese — and lost about half of it.

"My friend helped me with betting on games through the Internet," said Chen. "I'll call my friend and transfer money to him and he would help me to deal with the rest."

Chen, who lives in the southern city of Shenzhen, next to Hong Kong, would only give his surname because he didn't want to get in trouble with authorities for betting illegally.

Demand for bets from Asian sports enthusiasts illustrates how the World Cup is also a huge bonanza for betting companies while focusing attention on the surge in illegal wagering in East Asia, where there are few legal options to accommodate the lucrative market.

"It is the biggest single gambling event of the decade and each World Cup gets bigger," said Warwick Bartlett, CEO of Global Betting & Gaming Consultants, based on the Isle of Man. However, "the propensity to gamble in Asia is stronger than anywhere else on the planet, yet there are few legalized gambling opportunities."

Government monopoly operators offer legal sports betting in a handful of Asian jurisdictions, including mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan. The Philippines' Cagayan province is home to 68 online gambling companies. It's banned outright in many other countries, including India, Indonesia and Thailand. But thousands more illegal online bookmaking outfits, which don't pay tax, are thriving because they offer better prices, odds, wider variety of bet types and credit. Asia accounts for just over half of the illegal bets placed worldwide, according to a recent report by a sports monitoring group.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club, the world's second biggest betting operator, reported that betting turnover during the 2010 World Cup fell 1.6 percent compared with the 2006 event, which it blamed on growing use of illegal bookies.

Police forces in Asia are cracking down, swooping on a number of gambling rings in recent weeks. In May, Singapore police arrested 18 people suspected to be involved in an illegal football betting ring. They seized 1.4 million Singapore dollars ($1.1 million) in cash and uncovered records that showed the suspects received S$8 million ($6.3 million) in illegal bets in the prior two weeks.

Hong Kong police raided several gambling operations at the start of the tournament, including a cross-border operation with counterparts in mainland China to break up what they said was the city's biggest ever gambling syndicate, arresting 29 people and seizing slips for about $100 million in bets on football and horse racing. Even Hong Kong's prisons are tightening up prevention measures during the tournament by stepping up surprise inspections and cutting out any information on odds from newspapers and magazines given to prisoners.

In Thailand, where a business group estimates Thais will spend 43 billion baht ($1.3 billion) on illegal gambling during the World Cup, police have set up a gambling "suppression center" and arrested dozens of gamblers and bookmakers, according to a local news report.

The busts represent a fraction of the total. Wagers made outside licensed, regulated channels account for 80 percent of the 200 billion to 500 billion euros ($271 billion to $678 billion) bet globally on sports per year, according to a report released in May by the Qatar-based International Center for Sport Security.

It estimated that black market wagering is used to launder more than $140 billion in dirty money every year.

"Organized crime has moved into football because they have seen that this is a much easier way to make money than the traditional ways of racketeering, prostitution, drugs," said Patrick Jay, director of trading at the Hong Kong Jockey Club. "They do this either by means of bookmaking ... or they do it through the means of actually arranging results of football matches, what's known as fixing football matches."

Football match fixing has emerged as a major concern after the European Union's police agency said last year that a review found nearly 700 suspicious matches around the world as well as evidence that a Singapore-based crime syndicate was involved in some of the rigging. Three books have also been recently released on the subject, including one by Wilson Raj Perumal, a Singaporean with ties to Asian and Eastern European gambling syndicates who was jailed in Finland for match-fixing.

However, Jay said chances are slim of World Cup game being fixed because fixers target games with low media and fan interest involving poorly paid players. He added that if fixers do try to target a game during the tournament, it would be one in which the result is not very important to either side.

"There's no doubt the match fixers will look at those games. However, FIFA, EUFA and Interpol are all over this now. FIFA and Interpol are in the dressing rooms, they're in the stadiums, their security people are in the hotels, they're liaising with bookmakers, sports governing bodies, sponsors, security people," he said.

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Associated Press researcher Fu Ting in Shanghai contributed to this report.

Scientist gets World Food Prize for wheat advances

DES MOINES, Iowa -- A crop scientist credited with developing hundreds of varieties of disease-resistant wheat adaptable to many climates and difficult growing conditions was named Wednesday as the 2014 recipient of the World Food Prize.

Sanjaya Rajaram, 71, wins the $250,000 prize founded by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Norman Borlaug that honors vital contributions to improving the quality, quantity or availability of food throughout the world.

Rajaram, who was born in India and is a citizen of Mexico, began research and field work with Borlaug in 1969. He successfully crossed varieties of winter and spring wheat with his own plant breeding techniques, which led to the development of plants that have higher yields and dependability under a wide range of environments — important in keeping pace with the growing world population.

He is credited with developing 480 wheat varieties that have been released in 51 countries on six continents.

"It's a great honor," Rajaram said. "I'm a very humble person but very honored the World Food Prize committee has recognized me for the work I have done."

The next big challenge, Rajaram believes, is developing plants with more drought tolerance, staving off the effects of salt water intrusion as oceans rise, and other issues related to climate change.

"Future crop production is bound to decline unless we fully factor in the issues related to climate change, soil fertility and water deficits, and utilize advanced genetics in the next 20 to 30 years," he said in a telephone interview.

Rajaram was born in a small village in the Uttar Pradesh state in northeast India, where people lived on very little. He expanded upon his mentor Borlaug's work with his own achievements, said World Food Prize Foundation President Kenneth Quinn.

"His breakthrough breeding technologies have had a far-reaching and significant impact in providing more food around the globe and alleviating world hunger," Quinn said in a statement.

Quinn said it's fitting that the prize be awarded to Rajaram as the Des Moines-based organization celebrates the centennial of Borlaug's 1914 birth in Cresco, Iowa. Borlaug, who won the 1970 Nobel for boosting agricultural production in what has become known as the Green Revolution, launched the World Food Prize in 1986. He died in 2009.

Borlaug once referred to Rajaram as "the greatest present-day wheat scientist in the world," Quinn said.

Rajaram succeeded Borlaug in leading wheat research at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, which was founded in 1966 through an agreement between the Rockefeller Foundation and the Mexican Secretariat of Agriculture.

Prior to Rajaram's research, winter wheat and spring wheat were distinct gene pools. Rajaram's new varieties can be grown in marginal areas, such as small mountain plots in Pakistan, remote areas in China, and in the acidic soils of Brazil, the foundation said.

Rajaram said he plans to give some of the money from the prize to private organizations in India who work with the poor and use the remaining money for plant breeding research.

The announcement was made at a ceremony in Washington featuring Secretary of State John Kerry.

He said by inventing heartier crops and new species, Rajaram led an effort to save 1 billion lives. With projections that the global population will grow by 2 billion more people in the next three decades, "it's not hard to figure out this is the time for a second Green Revolution," Kerry said.

"Innovation and invention are the way forward and the way that we can face the challenges of food security and climate," Kerry said. "When it comes to climate change, when it comes to food security, we are literally facing a moment of adversity perhaps even dire necessity."

Rajaram will receive the award at an Oct. 16 ceremony in Des Moines.

Texas Crop Report

COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- The following reports were compiled by AgriLife Extension Service for the week of June 18:

Central: Generally, rangeland and pastures, soil moisture and crops were all rated as good. Runoff from rains filled ponds and gave forage grasses a boost. Otherwise, it was hot and windy. Field crops improved dramatically. Some low areas and creeks flooded. The peach harvest was in full swing with good yields reported but smaller-than-average peaches. Deer fawns were numerous, but there was no evidence of the turkey hatch starting. Overall, livestock were in good condition.

Coastal Bend: Despite recent rains, soils were drying out rapidly throughout most of the district. However, crops showed more promise than in several years for many counties. Cotton looked good but will need another rain soon to hold bolls. Corn and most of the grain sorghum were nearly mature, and above-normal yields were expected. Grass was still available for grazing, but its growth slowed as conditions became drier. With rising temperatures, pastures will dry up quickly, due to poor soil moisture. Grain sorghum producers sprayed for sugarcane aphid as the crop began to turn color.

East: The region received from 1.5 to 5.5 inches of rain. Mosquito activity was high after the rains. Area lakes and ponds were full. Wheat harvesting was on hold until fields dried out. Corn looked good. Watermelon quality and yields were also good. The harvesting of blueberries, blackberries and peaches was ongoing. Seasonal fruits and vegetables continued to be harvested and sold at local farmers markets. Forage production was reported as better than usual due to the rain. Producers were spraying to control weeds in pastures. Houston County cotton growers were having a hard time planting due to rain. Livestock were in good condition. Horn fly activity greatly increased. Armyworm infestations were reported. Feral hogs were active.

Far West: The region was hot and windy, with some isolated rains, from 0.25 to 0.75 inch. Cotton growers continued planting, with some replanting necessary due to washouts from earlier rains. Some earlier planted cotton was at the six-leaf stage. Fall onions were being harvested, and pecans were developing. Alfalfa growers finished their third cuttings.

North: The region received from 1 inch to 3 inches of rain, and topsoil moisture throughout the region was rated as adequate. Highs were in the upper 90s. Ponds were full to overflowing. The rain slowed harvesting of wheat in Collin County. The first cuttings of hay were completed with some good quality yields. Corn, sorghum, soybeans, sunflowers and cotton were in good condition. Corn in Bowie County was tasseling and beginning to silk. Pastures were looking good. Hopkins and Kaufman counties reported large grasshopper populations. Van Zandt County producers were having problems with summer pasture weeds such as bitterweed, silverleaf nightshade, Carolina horsenettle and goat weed. There were reports of spider mites on tomatoes in Van Zandt County.

Panhandle: Weather conditions were near to slightly below average for most of the week. Thunderstorms brought from 0.2 inch up to 5 inches of rain with 7 inches in some isolated areas. Soil moisture improved, but was short to adequate with most counties reporting adequate. The winter wheat crop was maturing. Much of the small grain acreage was expected to be harvested as hay or silage. Generally, corn was in good shape with the exception of some isolated fields that had hail damage. Cotton planting was nearly completed, though some fields had to be replanted due to weather damage to first plantings. Dry, windy and hot conditions dried soils, and blowing sand damaged some cotton. Pastures greened up considerably. Rangeland and pasture were in very poor to fair condition, with most counties reporting fair to poor.

Rolling Plains: The region received more much-needed rain. One- to 3-inch accumulations were reported. Water levels in some stock tanks rose. The rain slowed the wheat harvest. Grain producers who were trying to get the last of their wheat harvested were getting bogged down in the Blacklands. The rains were very good for corn, grain sorghum and soybeans, as well as for pastures. Pecan and fruit orchards not damaged by the late freeze were in great shape. Livestock also were in good condition. Grasshopper reports picked up along with an increase of cotton fleahoppers and horn flies. The first armyworms were reported by producers. Head moth spraying of sunflowers continued. The first cuttings of hay were nearly finished, with good quality and yields.

South: Highs ranged from the 90s to well over triple digits — especially in the western part of the region. The high temperatures stressed rangeland, pastures and livestock but benefited some crops. In the northern part of the district, the hot, humid weather and high winds took a toll on soil moisture. Some areas also had light showers. The harvesting of wheat and oats was completed. The potato, hay and watermelon harvests continued. Rangeland and pastures were in fair condition in Frio County, but poor in McMullen County. Supplemental feeding of livestock was at a steady pace in areas running short on forage. Producers were culling cattle and weaning calves early, and cattle body condition scores remained fair. Extremely hot weather in the eastern part of the district dried out soils, rangeland and pastures. However, most pastures remained green. In Jim Wells County, hot dry weather helped crops mature. Fields that received ample moisture in the past still were improving, but those that missed recent rains were beginning to show signs of stress and maturing early. Soil moisture was 50 to 60 percent adequate in Brooks County, 75 to 100 percent adequate in Jim Wells County, and 40 to 60 percent short in Kleberg and Kenedy counties. In the western part of the district, soil moisture ranged from 80 to 100 percent surplus. Bermuda grass hay producers were busy baling hay. Grain sorghum was fully emerged. Farmers were irrigating cotton, corn and sorghum, which were in critical developmental stages. The cabbage and onion harvests were both nearly finished. Supplemental feeding of livestock was light with moderate stocking rates and slow restocking in some areas. In the southern part of the region, cotton was flowering and setting bolls, and sorghum was turning color and maturing. Corn was also doing well. In Starr County, the harvesting of late-season melons continued. Soil moisture throughout the area ranged from 70 to 100 percent down to 50 percent adequate.

South Plains: The region received more rain, with most counties reporting widespread showers. Hail was reported in some areas. Hale County reported 25 percent crop losses from last week's hail storm. Hockley County reported as much as 20 percent of the cotton crop as damaged or gone. Corn fared better during the storms. Damage reports were still trickling in. Rainfall totals this week ranged from 0.75 inch to 4 inches. Swisher County noted that though the soil moisture profile was improved, there were some drawbacks of the 7 inches of rain received there in the last three weeks, including root rot in early seedling development of cotton. Cotton, corn and sorghum planted after Memorial Day were in better shape than earlier planted crops. Field activities included emergency tillage to prevent blowing sand and replanting acres destroyed by previous storms. Having missed the planting window for cotton, some producers were switching to alternative crops. Livestock were mostly in good condition with no supplemental feeding reported.

Southeast: Soil moisture was reported as being mostly in the adequate range, but there were wide variations, with some counties reporting from 50 percent short to as much as 100 percent adequate. Rangeland and pasture ratings varied widely too, from fair to excellent, with good ratings being the most common. In Brazos County, the harvest of small grains was completed. Grasshopper numbers there were increasing in pastures and hayfields. In Walker County, most ponds were full, and grasses and gardens were growing well. Some low areas and creeks flooded. In Waller County, the frequent rains made hay harvesting a challenge. Brazoria County pastures and hay fields looked good from the past rains. A few areas were showing signs of armyworms. In Chambers County, rice farmers were rushing to complete planting by June 15 to meet crop insurance deadlines. In Fort Bend County, temperatures ranged from the low 70s to the high 90s, with little to no rain forecast. Galveston County received some heavy thunderstorms, and Orange County received scattered showers.

Southwest: From 1 inch to 5 inches of rain was received, and pastures and row crops were flourishing from the moisture. In some instances, high winds accompanied the rainstorms, snapping trees and damaging buildings and other structures. Local gardeners were having problems with fungus and stunted plant growth. The peach harvest was in full swing with good yields, though fruit size tended to be smaller than average. Producers were taking their first cutting of coastal Bermuda grass hay. Livestock and wildlife may continue to need supplemental feeding as new forage growth from recent rains may be short lived due to wind and high temperatures.

West Central: Days were hot with warm nights. Some areas received rain, hail and damaging winds. The wheat harvest was mostly complete with yield reports of 10 to 20 bushels per acre. Most wheat was grazed out. Grain sorghum was in great condition. Cotton and corn were off to a good start, thanks to good moisture and warm, sunny days. Cotton planting was slowed by recent rains but will continue as soon as conditions allow. Rangeland and pastures rebounded and were in good condition. Livestock were in good condition. Producers slacked off supplemental feeding as pastures greened up. Stock ponds caught some much-needed runoff. Pecan and fruit orchards were in great shape.

United Tech reaches helicopter deal with Canada

HARTFORD, Conn. -- United Technologies says its Sikorsky Aircraft division has signed a deal with Canada for the delivery of 28 maritime helicopters, ending a long and costly dispute.

The delivery of the helicopters was originally scheduled to begin in 2012. But Sikorsky and Canadian officials clashed over production, support and other issues.

Hartford-based United Technologies Corp. says Sikorsky will book sales of about $850 million and a charge of $440 million in the second quarter related to the deal. The charge will be offset by one-time gains over the course of the year so its full-year earnings outlook remains unchanged.

Canada says the deal will allow it begin retiring its fleet of Sea King helicopters in 2015.

Review: Value in Amazon Prime goes beyond shipping

AMHERST, Ohio -- Spending $99 a year for an Amazon Prime membership to get free shipping hardly seems like a deal. After all, I can usually get free shipping by spending at least $35 on a single order.

But Prime's benefits became apparent gradually over the nine months I've used it.

During a trip last month, for instance, I got started on the first season of "The Good Wife" and read Michael Lewis' "The Blind Side." Last weekend, I added Journey's "Greatest Hits" album to my music library and began watching the spy drama "The Americans." I finished a book on photography on my way to work Monday.

All that came for free with Prime.

Some features work only with a Kindle e-reader or tablet. If Amazon.com Inc. introduces a new smartphone Wednesday, as widely expected, those features will likely work there, too. Amazon might even introduce additional ones just for its phone.

But there's plenty to enjoy, even without an Amazon device:

— UNLIMITED VIDEO:

Since 2006, Amazon has been offering video for download, much like Apple's iTunes. Although TV episodes cost just $2 or $3 each, I hate paying for something that's been shown on television for free.

Amazon changed the dynamics in 2011 when it started offering movies and TV shows to Prime members for free. Unlike Netflix, Amazon offers only part of its collection that way. Video is available on a variety of devices, but not Google's Chromecast or smartphones and tablets running Google's Android system, with the exception of Kindles.

As with Netflix, free video has typically been limited to streaming, meaning you need a persistent Internet connection. But last fall, Amazon began enabling downloads on Kindle tablets. That came in handy during my train trip through Ohio and other states last month, when I kept encountering stretches without cellular service and couldn't watch Netflix.

— EXCLUSIVE VIDEO:

Lately, Amazon has been making exclusive deals to block shows from Netflix, Hulu and other streaming services. Prime is the only way to get free streaming of past seasons of "24" and classic HBO series such as "The Sopranos" and "The Wire." This summer, Amazon is making episodes of two CBS series, "Under the Dome" and "Extant," available through Prime just four days after the broadcast.

Without Prime, you can still buy some shows digitally or on DVD. CBS is also making its shows available for free, though they will carry ads, while Prime will not.

Amazon also has been getting into original programming, though none of its shows has gotten the critical reception that Netflix has had with "House of Cards" and "Orange is the New Black." After getting customer feedback on 14 shows, Amazon ordered full seasons for two comedies and three kids' series. So far, people who don't have Prime aren't able to buy episodes.

— E-BOOKS:

You can borrow one book a month as long as you have a Kindle e-reader or tablet, but you're not offered everything that Amazon makes available for purchase. The selection includes the "Harry Potter" and "Hunger Games" series and several books by best-selling author Michael Lewis. But once I finished those, I struggled to find books of interest.

Each month, Prime members can also choose one of four books to own outright, regardless of whether they own a Kindle device. These books are all published by Amazon. So far, none has interested me enough to get — even for free.

— MUSIC:

This is Amazon's newest benefit, debuting just last week. More than a million songs are available for streaming on Kindle tablets, Web browsers and Amazon's Music app for Apple and Android devices. In some cases, you can download songs for offline playback.

As with books and video, free music is limited to a portion of what Amazon makes available for sale. Universal Music Group's catalog is missing, but you do get Grammies winner Daft Punk and plenty of '80s tracks from Journey and Madonna.

— FOR KIDS:

Amazon's FreeTime Unlimited service offers plenty of kid-friendly apps, books and video for a set monthly price. Prime members still have to pay, but they get a few dollars off the monthly fee.

— SHIPPING:

And of course, there's the free shipping. I started out by saying that I could get free shipping by spending at least $35 on an order. However, that's for standard shipping, which takes up to eight business days. With Prime, I got a $14 corkscrew in just two days.

That said, shipping isn't expensive, and you need up to 20 small orders a year to make it worth the $99 membership fee. Plus, scores of items are excluded from free shipping, including some running shorts I was looking to buy.

The benefits of Prime clearly go beyond free shipping. None of the other perks is enough by itself, but as a package, they make Prime a great value.

Albania seeks to bring law to Europe's pot capital

LAZARAT, Albania -- Plumes of pungent pot smoke rose above the small but prosperous Albanian village of Lazarat on Wednesday as police sought to drive out the gangs that have turned it into Europe's largest illegal marijuana producer.

Until 10 years ago, Lazarat was a regular farming community. Now it rakes in billions of euros every year from the plants that are openly cultivated in fields and house gardens.

Set in a green plain overlooked by high hills, this sprawling village of 5,000 is believed to produce about 900 metric tons of cannabis a year, worth some 4.5 billion euros ($6.1 billion) — just under half of the small Balkan country's GDP.

The lucrative business has left its mark. Flashy cars and expensive homes dot the village, where many residents were left unemployed after the political purges that followed changes of government in Albania in the late 1990s. Ironically, many had previously worked for the customs service, policing nearby border crossings with Greece.

The marijuana-farming has grown constantly since then, encouraged by strong demand in neighboring Greece and Italy. Albania itself has become a major transit point for other drugs coming in to Europe from Asia and Latin America.

Authorities use to leave the drug gangs pretty much to their own devices, as police visits tended to be met with gunfire. But the new Socialist government came to power last year aiming to stamp out the marijuana economy as it keeps trying to seek membership in the European Union. The country's application for candidate member status in the 28-nation bloc has been turned down three times, with organized crime and corruption always cited as a stumbling block.

In the government's most ambitious effort so far, hundreds of police were deployed this week to Lazarat as part of a nationwide anti-drug operation— only to be met by dozens of heavily armed men firing rocket-propelled grenades, mortar shells and heavy machine gunfire.

With local television broadcasting the events live, police and the Interior Ministry urged residents to stay indoors and warned others to stay away from the area, some 230 kilometers (140 miles) south of the capital, Tirana.

Police chief Artan Didi told reporters police were targeting a "very well-structured and organized criminal group that is keeping the village in its claws."

By late Wednesday, some 800 police had brought nearly half the village under control, gingerly advancing into gang-defended areas. So far they have seized and burned 11.3 tons of marijuana packed in sacks and 70,000 plants and destroyed two marijuana laboratories. Police also seized considerable amounts of ammunition from the more than 30 houses searched.

Interior Minister Saimir Tahiri vowed to persist until "every square centimeter in Lazarat is under state control."

Smoke from burning marijuana rose above the village — allegedly from fires set by locals to burn their plants as the police closed in.

Despite the heavy gunfire, casualties were light, with one policeman and three villagers suffering light gunshot wounds.

The alleged gang leader surrendered to police after protracted negotiations, authorities said in a statement Wednesday. A further eight people were arrested on suspicion of attacking and robbing a television news crew.

Police said continuous gunfire was still coming from one house, where they believed more than ten gang members were holed up.

Albania, a small mountainous country on the Adriatic coast opposite Italy, has just over 3 million people. It was for decades Europe's most isolated country until a student uprising toppled the communist regime in 1990 and Albanians emigrated en masse to Greece, Italy and other western countries.

Another uprising in 1997 led to the extensive looting of military installations, flooding Albania with weapons.

The former ruling Democratic party issued a statement saying that, while they support the anti-drug operations, the government's response was too heavy-handed in the village.

The ruling Socialists say Lazarat — a Democratic party stronghold — previously had benefited from links with the country's political elite.

"Time is over for the links of the world of crime in Lazarat with parliament, with politics, with those they exploited," Tahiri said. "What you are seeing today is the best example of our determination to install the rule of law in every corner of Albania."

Llazar Semini reported from Tirana.

The First Lady Welcomes 50 New Americans at the National Archives

Watch on YouTube

This morning, First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed 50 new Americans in a naturalization ceremony at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

"This is an exciting day," the First Lady said in her remarks, "and it's just wonderful that I can be among the first to congratulate you on becoming American citizens."

Only a few feet from where she spoke was the Declaration of Independence -- and as she noted, none of the 56 Founders who signed the Declaration were born American, "they became American."

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Airport tax election gets council approval

LAFAYETTE, La. -- One hurdle remains before finalization of a Dec. 6 sales tax election for Lafayette Regional Airport.

The Advertiser reports (http://bit.ly/1oF2RNR ) the Lafayette City-Parish Council voted 7-1 Tuesday to call the election asking voters to approve a 1-cent sales tax parish-wide to help pay for a new airport terminal and parking lot.

The next and final step to calling the election is to get approval from the State Bond Commission in August or September, Airport Commission Chairman Matt Cruse said. There's no reason to expect the bond commission won't approve the measure, he said.

Voters will be asked to approve a 1-cent sales tax on all sales in the parish except food and prescription medication. The tax would be collected from April 1, 2015, through Nov. 30, 2015.

In most parts of Lafayette Parish, purchasers pay between 8 and 9 cents in sales tax for every dollar they spend. They would pay a penny more if the tax passes.

Based on 2013 sales tax collections, the eight-month 1-cent sales tax is expected to generate $37 million toward the $90 million cost of the project, Cruse said. The Airport Commission would use existing funds and seek state and federal funds to cover the rest of the cost.

Asked following the meeting why the commission didn't ask to collect the tax for a full year, which would generate about $54 million, Cruse said, "We didn't feel as a commission it was necessary" based on bonding capacity and other potential funding sources.

If voters approve the tax in December, the commission will use 2015 to get close to finalizing construction plans and bidding the project, Cruse said. He expects construction to begin in 2016 and take about 2½ years, for a total of three to four years.

The new facility could be in operation in 2018, Cruse said.

The current terminal was built 55 years ago and remodeled 25 years ago. The terminal is no longer adequate to support the volume of passengers it currently serves let alone a 40 percent increase in usage forecast for the next 10 years, Cruse said.

Snacks, no banquet, for frugal new Spanish king

MADRID -- Crown Prince Felipe ascends to the Spanish throne at midnight Wednesday, but there won't be any ritzy official celebrations.

The economic crisis that has left a quarter of Spaniards out of work has prompted Europe's newest king to be relatively frugal at his proclamation.

The crown prince's father, 76-year-old Juan Carlos, misjudged public anger at financial hardship when he went on an elephant-hunting safari in Africa. Felipe, 46, appears keen to show he's more in tune with his countrymen — and avoid the mistakes of his abdicating predecessor.

The landmark occasion is perhaps most notable for what it won't include: no state banquet, no foreign royals or heads of state, no ostentatious ceremonies or parades.

By royal standards, it's humble: reception guests will be served hot and cold tapas-style nibbles, which they will eat while standing. There will be no champagne, just sparkling cava wine from Spain's Catalonia region.

"More than anything this is a message. What they want to say is: 'We're in a moment when sobriety in spending shows a certain sense of solidarity in a time of economic difficulty,'" Navarra University history professor Pablo Perez Lopez said.

Juan Carlos on Wednesday signed legislation, approved by Parliament earlier this month, setting out the legal framework for the handover. The retiring monarch, who underwent a hip replacement operation last November, used a walking cane and moved with difficulty during the televised signing ceremony.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy immediately ratified the law, which is due to come into force at midnight in Spain (2200 GMT).

Felipe is to be formally proclaimed monarch and swear an oath at a ceremony with lawmakers in Parliament on Thursday. It will be a no-frills event, though the 18th-century Spanish crown and 17th-century scepter will be on display.

After a brief military parade, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia will take a drive through expected crowds along some of Madrid's most emblematic streets and monuments — such as the Prado Museum and the Cibeles fountain.

The palace acknowledged that the customary pomp had been eliminated "in keeping with the criteria of austerity that the times recommend."

The reasoning behind that choice is easy to understand, says Emilio de Diego Garcia, history professor at Madrid's Complutense University.

"In a time when every expense is examined with a magnifying glass, particularly public money, any ostentation would have been criticized," he said.

Juan Carlos announced his surprise decision to abdicate on June 2, saying he was stepping aside after a four-decade reign to allow for younger royal blood to rally the country that is still trying to shrug off a double-dip recession and a 26 percent jobless rate.

During most of his reign, the monarch was held in high esteem for his role in helping steer the country from military dictatorship to democracy. He took over the throne in 1975, two days after the death of longtime dictator Gen. Francisco Franco, and then endeared himself to many by making army rebels stand down during an attempted military coup in 1981.

More recently, however, the royal family's image was tarnished by Juan Carlos's 2012 Botswana hunting trip. Another scandal saw Juan Carlos' youngest daughter, Princess Cristina, testify this year in the fraud and money-laundering case engulfing her husband, the Olympic handball medalist turned businessman Inaki Urdangarin.

Juan Carlos won broad support for his handling of Spain's 20th-century challenges. Felipe VI must now address Spain's 21st-century difficulties.

Keeping the bill down for taxpayers is just one of the challenges facing the new king.

Much more pressing will be whether he can keep the country united as separatist movements, such as those in Catalonia and the Basque region, try to pull the country apart. Such an unraveling could place the monarchy itself in danger.

The abdication announcement initially triggered widespread demonstrations calling for a referendum on reinstating a republic. But a recent poll found that while 62 percent of respondents said they wanted a referendum on the monarchy "at some point," 49 percent said they favored a monarchy with Felipe as king, while only 36 percent wanted a republic. Others did not answer or expressed no opinion.

Felipe holds a law degree from Madrid's Autonomous University and obtained a master's in international relations from Georgetown University in Washington. His wife is a former television journalist and a divorced commoner. Many people feel that record will help make Felipe more attuned to the public mood.

Diego Garcia, the Complutense professor, believes Spain is going to see "a more austere monarchy, one closer to the people and the reality of the country."

The 2,000 guests at the royal reception will be from a wide range of Spanish society, including Madrid ambassadors as well as representatives from the business, cultural, media and sports sectors.

Authorities have prohibited a planned demonstration in Madrid on Thursday by people demanding an end to the monarchy.

The palace said it had no information on the overall cost of the events, which will be overseen by some 7,000 police.

Hatton contributed from Lisbon, Portugal.

NC AG says coal ash must be cleaned up

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- North Carolina's attorney general says Duke Energy's coal ash pits must be cleaned up to protect the state's waterways, but consumers should not foot the bill.

The Senate is considering legislation to force Duke to close all of its North Carolina ash pits by 2029. Duke has 100 million tons of coal ash stored in 33 leaky, unlined pits along rivers and lakes.

Duke has said it could take decades and cost up to $10 billion if it's forced to remove the ash, with most of the costs passed along to the company's ratepayers.

But Attorney General Roy Cooper says Duke has the money for the cleanup, and is urging legislators not to pass along the costs.

He says many consumers and businesses cannot afford to pay more for power.

You're Invited: White House Summit on Working Families

We're excited to announce our next White House Social event -- an opportunity for our followers on Twitter and Instagram to attend the White House Summit on Working Families.

On Monday, June 23, 2014, this day-long event will feature remarks by the President, the First Lady, the Vice President, and Dr. Jill Biden, as they participate in a national conversation about how we can create 21st-century workplaces that work for all Americans.

Interested? Sign up for your chance to join other White House social media followers for the White House Summit on Working Families at http://1.usa.gov/UMwsrR. After you sign up, spread the word and tell your friends about the event by using the hashtag #WHSocial.

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The President Talks Manufacturing and Innovation at TechShop Pittsburgh

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Yesterday afternoon, President Obama stopped by TechShop Pittsburgh to talk about manufacturing and innovation, and answer some questions from those in attendance.

TechShop, which has multiple locations across the country, describes itself as "part fabrication and prototyping studio, part hackerspace and part learning center." The company provides its members access to professional tools, equipment, and software, and gives them a space to make and design almost anything — all "for the price of a gym membership," as the President said yesterday.

In his remarks, the President explained how technological advances are changing the face of manufacturing, giving more people the opportunity to be inventors and producers:

Part of what’s exciting is that, traditionally, manufacturing was viewed -- and we’re in a steel town here in Pittsburgh -- that manufacturing meant big factories, all kinds of smoke and fire, and a lot of heavy capital. But because of advances in technology, part of the opportunity is now to make the tools that are needed for production and prototypes are now democratized. They’re in the hands of anybody who’s got a good idea.

And what we’ve been trying to do is to encourage more and more entrepreneurs, inventors to not just take root here but also have access to the kinds of equipment and technology -- whether it’s 3D printers or laser cutters -- that allow them to design their own ideas, create prototypes, put them out to market, test them, tinker with them, refine them, and ultimately create brand new businesses.

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US Marines linked to Australian energy security

CANBERRA, Australia -- The growing number of U.S. Marines in northern Australia is enhancing the security of the nation's burgeoning gas industry, which extends across the remote and sparsely populated northern coast, a senior American general said on Wednesday.

Maj. Gen. Richard L. Simcock, Hawaii-based deputy commander of U.S. Marine Corps in the Pacific, was commenting after an executive of U.S. energy giant Chevron Corp. told a conference of concerns that gas rigs off the Australian northwest coast and tankers shipping liquid natural gas through Southeast Asian waters could be vulnerable to attack.

"We are very much aware that they could be considered strategic targets," said Chevron Australia Pty. Ltd managing director Roy Krzywosinski, referring to gas platforms and shipping routes.

Krzywosinski told the U.S. Studies Center conference on the U.S.-Australian defense alliance that his company was "in very significant and close engagement" with Australian authorities on how to protect tens of billions of dollars in energy assets and product.

Simcock said that the growing Marine presence in the northern city of Darwin as part of the U.S. military pivot toward Asia was ensuring the Australian energy industry's security.

"One of the things that the rebalance ensures is the security that has been provided to the region since World War II," Simcock told reporters on the sidelines of the conference. "How do you maintain that level of security in an evolving region? We think that part of that is through allies, partners, friends, but it's also about being here," he added.

Marine numbers are growing in Darwin as tensions rise to the north over China claim to virtually the entire South China Sea. China's claims include the potentially resource-rich Spratly Islands chain, where it has overlapping claims with the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam. They also straddle one of the world's busiest sea lanes.

Since President Barack Obama announced in 2011 a permanent Marine presence in Darwin, troop numbers have grown from 250 to 1,100. Darwin is not regarded as a Marine base because the troops are rotated through rather than permanently posted.

Simcock said no timeframe had been set for the Marine presence to be increased to the maximum agreed with Australia of 2,500 troops.

The United States, Australia's most important defense ally, is the biggest source of foreign investment in Australia. But investment from China, Australia's most important trading partner, is the fastest growing source of investment.

U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman told the conference in a video address from Washington that the marine buildup in Darwin, along with the U.S. pursuit of a trans-Pacific free trade pact, "underscores the strategic commitment of the United States to the region."

Trade Minister Andrew Robb said in his speech that Australia was positioning to overtake Qatar as the world's largest producer of LNG within a few years.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told the conference that U.S investment in the Australian energy sector enabled the country to be "an energy powerhouse," supplying China, Japan and South Korea with LNP.

Investors to seek clues from Fed on rate increase

WASHINGTON -- A stay-the-course message is expected from the Federal Reserve on Wednesday after it ends a two-day policy meeting.

The Fed will likely approve a fifth cut in its monthly bond purchases because the job market has steadily strengthened. But no clear signal is expected on when the Fed will start raising short-term interest rates from record lows.

The meeting will end with a statement outlining the Fed's plans. The central bank will also update its economic forecasts, and Janet Yellen will hold her second news conference since becoming Fed chair in February.

The Fed got some further cause for discussion just before it started this week's meeting with a report Tuesday of a surprising jump in consumer inflation.

Yet most economists aren't altering their view that the Fed's first rate increase is at least a year away. Analysts cautioned that that time frame could change if inflation were to accelerate. The consumer price index rose 0.4 percent in May, the government said, and has risen 2.1 percent over the past 12 months — roughly at the level of the Fed's target rate for inflation.

It's why the Fed might actually welcome the news of slightly higher inflation. It will help ease long-standing concerns that inflation might be too low. For the past two years, inflation by one key measure has remained under the Fed's 2 percent target.

Investors will be seeking any new clues the central bank might send about when it will finally raise its benchmark short-term rate. That rate has been at a record low near zero since 2008. They will also be looking for hints about how and when the Fed will start unloading its vast investment holdings.

The answers will affect loan rates for individuals and businesses — and perhaps the direction of the economy. Yet few expect to hear anything definitive. The Fed remains in a tentative wait-and-see stance.

Though the central bank has signaled optimism, officials are unsure how much the economy will strengthen the rest of the year. In its updated forecasts, the Fed may downgrade its estimate of growth for 2014 after the government said last month that the economy shrank in the first quarter, depressed by a harsh winter.

Yellen has suggested that the U.S. unemployment rate, now 6.3 percent, overstates the health of the job market and economy. She's also expressed concern that a high percentage of the unemployed — 35 percent — have been out of work for six months or more and that pay is scarcely rising for people who do have jobs.

The minutes of the Fed's last meeting in late April indicated that the central bank has begun discussing the tools it could use to finally pull back the extraordinary stimulus it's provided the U.S. economy since 2008.

Analysts expect at least one announcement when the two-day policy meeting ends Wednesday: That the Fed will make a fifth $10 billion cut in the pace of its monthly bond purchases to $35 billion, a sign of a steadily, if slowly, improving economy. The Fed has been buying Treasury and mortgage bonds to try to keep long-term loan rates low to stimulate the economy.

The Fed will likely end its bond purchases this fall, with its investment portfolio nearing $4.5 trillion. But officials have said that even when they stop buying bonds, they don't plan to start selling any. They plan to keep the Fed's holdings steady by re-investing maturing bonds. In doing so, the Fed will still exert downward pressure on long-term rates.

The Fed has said it will keep its key short-term rate at a record low near zero for a "considerable time" after its bond purchases end. At her news conference, Yellen will likely avoid being pinned down on how long a "considerable time" might be. Last month, she said the Fed expects to start raising rates once it sees enough progress in restoring full employment and inflation has risen to its 2 percent target rate.

Most Fed members expect the Fed to start raising short-term rates between mid-2015 and early 2016. The central bank has stressed that even after it starts raising rates, it will likely keep them unusually low to support the economy.

While economic growth went into reverse in the first quarter, the job market has shown consistent improvement this year. Employers have added 200,000-plus jobs for four straight months. The unemployment rate has dropped to a level the Fed hadn't expected to see until year's end.

But Yellen has stressed that she is studying barometers of the job market beyond the unemployment rate — from the percentage of long-term unemployed among the jobless to the number of part-time workers who would prefer full-time jobs and the percentage of adults either working or looking for work. By those measures, the job market remains subpar, a reason Yellen has cited for the Fed's continued support.

She has also expressed worries that the housing recovery may be faltering. In addition, Fed officials have discussed such geopolitical risks as slow growth in Europe and Russia's aggression toward Ukraine. The newest threat is rising sectarian violence in Iraq, which has sent oil prices up.

This week's meeting brought new faces to debate the issues. Stanley Fischer, former head of Israel's central bank, participated for the first time as the Fed's vice chair, as did Lael Brainard, a former Treasury undersecretary for international affairs, and Loretta Mester, who has succeeded Sandra Pianalto as president of the Fed's Cleveland regional bank.